Egyptian Gallery Four Egyptian canopic jars (tactile)
Synopsis
These are the four jars in which the organs removed during the mummification process are stored and preserved. The jars would have then been placed inside a canopic chest and buried with the mummy in the tomb. This was done because the dead person would need their organs for the afterlife.Each jar consists of a tall round container with a lid in the shape of the head of one of four gods that were responsible for protecting particular organs. The jar and the lid are not an exact fit so that you can clearly see the division between the two. The four gods were: Duamutef, the jackal-headed god whose jar contained the stomach; Qebehsenuef, the falcon-headed god whose jar contained the intestines; Hapi, the baboon-headed god whose jar contained the lungs; and Imsety, the human-headed god whose jar contained the liver.
The canopic jars are not a matching set so vary in size and the material they are made from.
1. Qebehsenuef - origin unknown; 664-343 BC; carved limestone; 35 cm high with a diameter of 12 cm at widest point. This light stone coloured jar, the falcon has a triangular shaped face with the beak and circular eyes clearly carved. It almost looks like the falcon is wearing a hood.
2. Duamutef - on loan from The British Museum; 35cm high with a diameter of 12 cm at the widest point. Similar to Qebehsenuef, clearly carved jackal head with large pointed ears and snout with eyes, end of nose and mouth defined. A row of hieroglyphs are painted in black around the rim
3. Imsety - origin and date unknown; carved wood; 27 cm high with a diameter of 9 cm at widest point. A slimmer jar than the others, clearly carved human face surrounded by an Egyptian headdress and large ears. Two rows of carved hieroglyphs down the front.
4.Hapi - origin unknown; 664-343 BC; carved limestone; 22 cm high with a diameter of 9 cm at widest point. The baboon has a prominent snout with clearly carved eyes, nose bridge and mouth.
The tactile image show all four canopic jars on one page, two at the top and two at the bottom. They are in scale with each other and are slightly less than half the size of the actual jars. Each jar is shown in outline infilled with a texture. Solid texture shows some of their feathers and the hieroglyphs.