File this one under things you only need if you are Ancient Egyptian/and or you own a beloved Ibis.
It was common practice for the Egyptians to mummify animals, especially those they revered, including cats, hippopotami, and crocodiles. Many Egyptian gods were associated with particular animals and were often depicted with human bodies and animal heads. The ibis was associated with the god Thoth (who was also shown as a baboon). Thoth has many roles in Egyptian religion. He was the creator of magic, writing, and science; he was the messenger and mediator of the gods; and he recorded the judgement of the dead. He also enjoyed long walks on the beach, drinking fine wine, and watching the sunset.
This is a particularly beautiful coffin. It is made of gilded wood, silver, gold, and rock crystal and it dates to the Ptolemaic period (305-30 BCE). While it is normal for animal coffins to take on the shape of the animal within, the high quality of this coffin makes it stand out from the tens of thousands of animal mummies placed in more everyday containers, such as pottery jars.
The ibis was placed inside the coffin through the detachable lid on the back. I wish I had a better picture of its legs and feet which are nicely detailed.
This object can be found in the Brooklyn Museum which has an especially nice collection of Egyptian artifacts as well as Assyrian wall panels and Western paintings.