Mummies and the processes by which they have been created have long been a source of fascination for the general public. The various artifacts created to house the results of the mummification activities often include wonderful works of art. Among these are the canopic jars, special containers used by the ancient Egyptians, which were a very important part of the mummification process.
Egyptians used these jars to store and protect the internal organs of a person who had died. The Canopic jars had a great part in the process of mummification, as the Ancient Egyptians believed that each jar has a God to keep organs of the body of the deceased as death is not the end of the journey, but it is a new chapter to start a new life. Join us as we explore the wonder of the Canopic jars and their importance in ancient Egyptian culture.
The Mummification Process
What are Canopic Jars?
Canopic jars are funerary vessels that were used by the ancient Egyptians to house embalmed organs that were removed during the mummification process. They also served to store and preserve the viscera of their soul for the afterlife.
The jars were placed inside a canopic chest and buried in the tombs with the sarcophagus of the dead. Canopic jars are "V"-shaped vessels that have been hollowed out in the middle and topped with either plain or iconographic stoppers. They range in height from about 14 to 50 cm (5.5 to 20 in), including the lid, and in diameters of anywhere from 6 to 20 cm (2.4 to 7.9 in).
The most common materials used to make the jars include wood, limestone, faience, and clay, and the design was occasionally accompanied by painted on facial features, names of the deceased or the gods, and/or burial spells. Canopic jars are often fashioned from limestone, clay, or ceramics to store and preserve the vital organs of the deceased.
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Imagine walking through the halls of an ancient Egyptian tomb, adorned with intricate carvings and hieroglyphs. As you make your way deeper into the tomb, you come across a collection of ornate jars, each one intricately decorated with a different animal head. These are the Canopic jars, fascinating artifacts of ancient Egyptian burial practices, which used to hold the organs of the deceased. The Canopic jars were not only practical but also held deep religious significance in ancient Egypt.
The word canopic comes from a mistake made by early experts who studied Egypt. They thought these jars were linked to an old Greek story about a captain named Canopus. He was said to be buried in a place called Canopus in Egypt. People there worshipped jars that looked like human heads.
Contrary to early assumptions linking the term "Canopic" to the Greek legend of Canopus, various theories suggest its origin stems from either Canopus in the Delta or the location near Alexandria, where human-headed jars symbolizing the god Osiris were revered.
Throughout most eras of Ancient Egyptian history, a set of four canopic jars constituted an important component of burial. The greatest examples of these Canopic jars feature shaped like the heads of four sons known as the Sons of God "Horus".
Canopic Jars of Horemheb
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History and Evolution of Canopic Jars
The earliest canopic jars had plain lids during the Old Kingdom of Egypt (2575-2130 BC), then they were decorated with sculpted human heads during the Middle Kingdom of ancient Egypt (1938-1630 BC). In the nineteen dynasties until the end of the Egyptian New Kingdom (1536-1075 BC) the canopic jars represented the four sons of God "Horus".
The development of the Canopic jar throughout history can be traced back to the 4th dynasty, with the first Canopic jars found belonging to Queen "Hetepheres", the wife of King "Sneferu" and mother of "King Cheops", and the first Canopic jars to be found belongs to Queen Meresankh III" the wife of "King Khafre".
Over the course of ancient Egyptian history, various changes were made to the design and style of canopic jars. These sons of Horus, representing cardinal compass points, each safeguarded specific organs and were accompanied by a companion goddess.
Throughout the different time periods, the design and purpose of canopic jars evolved from the Old Kingdom as they were often uninscribed with plain lids, while in the Middle Kingdom of ancient Egypt (2040 - 1782 BC), inscriptions became more common, and lids frequently took the form of human heads.
By the Nineteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt (1570 - 1050 BC), the lids depicted the four sons of Horus serving as guardians of the organs. Materials and styles varied over time, with the oldest jars dating back to the Eleventh or Twelfth Dynasty, typically crafted from stone or wood. By the New Kingdom, canopic jars featured the sons of Horus, often made from alabaster, aragonite, calcareous stone, or glazed porcelain.
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The earliest and most common versions of canopic jars were made of stone, but later styles were carved from wood. Old Kingdom canopic jars were rarely inscribed and had a plain lid. By the Middle Kingdom inscriptions became more common, and the lids were often in the form of human heads. Following the Nineteenth Dynasty canopic jars stylistically were carved to represent the four sons of Horus.
Egypt Canopic Jar
The Four Sons of Horus
The four sons of Horus were a group of deities in ancient Egyptian religion who were believed to protect the organs of the deceased stored in Canopic jars. Canopic jars were associated with the four sons of Horus representing the cardinal points and were believed to protect the organs of the deceased to ensure their passage into the afterlife safely.
Each son of God "Horus" was associated with a specific organ and had his unique hieroglyphic symbol:
- Imsety: This god had a human head. He represented the South and was protected by the goddess Isis. The job of "Imsety" was to protect the liver of the deceased.
- Hapy: This god had the head of a baboon. He represented the North and was protected by the goddess Nephthys. "Hapy" was associated with the north and was often depicted on the Canopic jars with the color blue, and was responsible for the lungs of the deceased.
- Duamutef: This god had the head of a jackal. He represented the East and was protected by the goddess Neith. "Duamutef" was associated with the east and was often depicted with the color red, and was the guardian of the stomach of the deceased.
- Qebehsenuef: This god had the head of a falcon. He represented the West and was protected by the goddess Serket. "Qebehsenuef" was responsible for the intestines of the deceased, representing the west.
The Canopic jars, with their unique designs and carvings, were an important part of the funeral rites and were believed to have magical powers that could protect the organs of the deceased.
Four sons of Horus on Tutankhamun sarcophagus
The Mummification Process and Canopic Jars
Ancient Egyptians utilized these vessels, known as canopic jars, at the dawn of the Old Kingdom (2700 - 2200 BC) through the Late Period (664 - 330 BC) and the Ptolemaic Period (305 - 30 BC). During mummification, the lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines were removed from the corpse to prevent putrefaction of the body. The remaining evacuated items underwent the same chemical desiccation process as the corpse itself, and when wrapped in linen bandages, sometimes approximated the shape of a fully-wrapped mummy.
When a body was mummified, the lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines were carefully taken out. This was done to stop them from decaying the rest of the body. Each organ was dried with a special salt called natron. Then, it was placed into one of the four canopic jars.
The Ancient Egyptian people believed that the deceased need his or her organs to be reborn once again, so they kept their organs in Canopic jars to protect them from decomposition. The Canopic jars had the main function which is storing the intestines, stomach, liver, and lungs. The Ancient Egyptian people believed that these organs would be needed in the afterlife so they need them in their vital case. The Canopic jars were put in the tombs beside the remains and played an important role in the burial ceremony.
The ancient Egyptians believed that life was immortal and death was nothing more but a door to the other side. Ancient Egyptians believed that they will need their organs in the afterlife. Each jar has a specific rule for protecting a certain organ. The four vital organs that must include are "the liver, stomach, lungs, and intestines".
Why the Heart Was Not Included
Ancient Egyptians preserved certain organs except for the heart, as it is the most important organ in the whole body. The heart is the main source of the good and bad deeds of the person, the weight of the heart was an important source in the afterlife because it determined whether the deceased would go to heaven or will be eaten by the monster.
The Egyptians believed the heart was the seat of the soul and left it inside the body during mummification, which means the heart was not placed in a canopic Jar, but the other organs, which are the lungs, liver, intestines, and stomach.
This process was believed that happens by the Goddess "Maat" the Goddess of law, justice, and balance:
- The Feather of Goddess Maat "Judgement Process": During this judgment process, if the heart of the deceased was lighter than the feather of the Goddess "Maat" then the deceased will move to heaven which is called "The Field of Reeds" where joy, happiness, and a better life with whom they love.
- If the heart of the deceased is heavier than the feather of Goddess "Maat", then the soul of the deceased will be stuck in the underworld, and the body will be eaten by a scary monster "Goddess "Ammut", then the deceased will be lost forever.
Canopic Jars in Modern Culture
Modern movies and TV shows had Canopic jars as an essential factor in the main scenes during the mummification process to contain the vital organs for the afterlife. In the famous movie "The Mummy" which portrayed ancient Egyptian life, you can see the existence of the four Canopic jars which became an important element in Egyptian burial.
There is similar preservation in our modern life as there are different people from all over the world who use vases to hold cut flowers. This is the same idea that was one of the inspirations of ancient Egypt.
Scientific and Medical Research
Because of the uniqueness of their contents, canopic jars are of particular interest to scientists and bioarchaeologists. Research has been conducted into the feasibility of DNA analysis of visceral contents of canopic jars. Researchers have hoped to find more information on pathogens or diseases that may have been prevalent in ancient Egypt.
Contemporaneously, canopic jars are of interest for scientific and medical research.
The Art of Canopic Jars
Canopic jars were an important factor in ancient Egyptian burial practices and their life as a whole. As part of the mummification process, these incredible jars were used to keep the deceased's internal organs. Making Canopic jars was a delicate technique that demanded great workmanship as well as a thorough grasp of ancient Egyptian religious beliefs.
The design of the canopic jar was significant since each jar represented a different organ of the body. Imsety, Duamutef, Hapi, and Qebehsenuef, the four sons of God "Horus" the God of the sky. The four sons of "Horus" were the protectors of the organs of the deceased, and each had a unique job; the jars were painted with complex patterns and hieroglyphics depicting the role of each son of Horus. The lids of the jars were also decorated with unique designs and featured the head of one of the sons of "Horus".
Canopic jars
Great Facts about Canopic Jars in Ancient Egypt
- There are four Canopic jars, and they are the four sons of God "Horus" the God of the sky.
- The names of the four sons were "Imsety, Hapi, Duamutef, and Qebehsenuef"
- The Canopic jars were buried alongside the deceased in their tombs.
- Each jar has a specific rule for protecting a certain organ.
- The four vital organs that must include are "the liver, stomach, lungs, and intestines".
- The guardian "Imsety" was responsible for protecting the liver.
- The guardian "Hapy" was responsible for protecting the lungs.
- The guardian "Qebehsenuef" was responsible for protecting the intestines.
- The guardian "Duamutef" was responsible for protecting the stomach.
- The four sons were symbols to honor the God "Horus".
- The heart is the most important part of the deceased.
- The brain was not important as the other parts, so they destroyed it.
- Canopic jars were elaborately designed, and the top of each jar served as a cover.
- In ancient Egyptian belief, the body needed to be kept so that the person could return.
- The God "Horus" was the God of war and the sky.
- God "Horus" was married to the Goddess "Hathor".
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