Why were canopic jars made

Egypt and the Egyptians. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Artifact Images Canopic Jar Lid. More about Artifacts: Shabtis.

Grave Goods. Canopic Jars. Cartonnage Mummy Masks. Mummy Cases, Coffins, and Sarcophagi. Human Mummies. The Canopic jars were wide mouth, to allow the positioning of the organs inside, and 5 to 10 inches high. They were made of clay, stone, wood or even gold, depending on the wealth of the deceased.

The covers or stoppers on each of the four jars of deities represented, each of the four sons of Horus. The gods were painted, sculpted or engraved on the body of the vessel and the lid. Throughout the dynasties of Egypt, the style of the Canopic jar evolved from a normal ritual vessel to a richly decorated tomb ornament. The canopic jars are an indispensable part of Egyptian burials. They contained the viscera of the mummies they accompanied on their journey to the afterlife.

They were both works of art and talismans. According to the religious beliefs of ancient Egypt , it was enough to place the canopic jars s in the tombs next to the deceased to guarantee them magical protection. When the body of the deceased was mummified , his viscera were carefully washed, usually with palm wine, and then stuffed with myrrh, aniseed, onions… The organs were then wrapped in a very fine linen cloth and then placed separately in the four jars in the middle of a preservative liquid based on oils, the same ones used to embalm the bodies.

Inside the mummy , the missing organs were replaced with sawdust or linen stamps. Once filled, the canopic vases were themselves stored inside a wooden chest, the canopic chest. Egyptologists have recovered hundreds of these boxes. By the later 18 th Dynasty the jars started to have the heads of the Four Sons of Horus. They were made of clay, wood or stone. Occasionally blue glazed faience was used.

By the Third Intermediate Period BC the innards were returned to the body sometimes with models, usually in beeswax, of the Four Sons of Horus. Dummy canopic jars were still sometimes put in rich burials. Such jars were fully functional but empty. By this period Duamutef and Qebehsenuef sometimes appeared with the heads of falcon and jackal respectively in contrast to their earlier associations.

This is probably not a mistake but rather an alternative tradition. Scroll left to view more. Title: Canopic Jar. Period: Late Period. Dynasty: Dynasty 26 Saite? Date: — BC? Medium: Limestone, paint. Dimensions: H. Credit Line: Gift of J.