Canopic jar

Canopic jars were used by ancient Egyptians during the mummification process to store viscerals for the after life, and were commonly made of limestone, pottery, wood, or bronze. These jars were used by ancient Egyptians from the period of the Old Kingdom onwards to store various internal organs removed during the process of mummification. All the viscera were not kept in a single canopic jar, but rather each organ was placed in its own. The name 'canopic' reflects the mistaken association by early Egyptologists with the Greek legend of Canopus.^[1]

The jars were four in number, each charged with the safekeeping of a particular human organ. The design of these changed over time, from Old Kingdom mainly jars with plain lids to Middle Kingdom jars with human heads (assumed to represent the dead) and by the New Kingdom heads associated with the four sons of Horus, the gods of the cardinal compass points.^[2] Duamutef, the jackal-headed jar representing the east, contained the stomach and was protected by the goddess Neith. Qebehsenuef, the falcon-headed jar representing the west, contained the intestines and was protected by the goddess Selket. Hapi, the baboon-headed jar representing the north, contained the lungs and was protected by the goddess Nephthys. Imseti, the human-headed jar representing the south, contained the liver and was protected by the goddess Isis.^[3]

The Egyptians considered the heart to be the seat of the soul so it was left inside the body instead of being placed in a canopic jar. The Ancient Egyptians believed that in the afterlife the heart would be weighed against the feather of truth by the god Anubis.^[4] If it was too heavy from bad deeds it would be fed to the monster Ammit.

Sometimes the covers of the jars were modeled after (or painted to resemble) the head of Anubis, the god of death/embalming. These jars have been around for years, and surviving examples of them can be seen in museums. The canopic jars were placed inside a canopic chest and buried in tombs together with the sarcophagus of the dead. It was also done because it was believed the dead person would need their organs for the afterlife.

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