Canopic Jar with Jackal's Head

The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Canopic Jar with Jackal's Head as funerary equipment (Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE), Dynasty 26 · 664–525 BCE).

WHY IT’S INTERESTING

This jar is made of travertine stone-- subtle in color and with a captivating natural pattern-- with hieroglyphics carved on the front. Such jars were used to hold internal organs of the deceased and to preserve them for the afterlife.

SERENDIPITYA little unexpected

FamiliarWeird

A CLOSER LOOK

The museum identifies this funerary equipment as travertine.

The museum's collection notes: In the process of mummification, the liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines were removed, separately embalmed, and stored in specialized jars known as canopic jars (after a sailor in Greek mythology, who died at the town of Canopus in the Nile Delta and was worshipped there in the form of a human-headed jar). Each organ was identified with one of four funerary deities collectively known as the Sons of Horus: the liver with Imsety (man's head), the lungs with Hapy (baboon's head), the stomach with Duamutef (jackal's head), and the intestines with Qebehsenuef (falcon's head). It was their duty to protect the deceased and restore to him his body

FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE

The Cleveland Museum of ArtCanopic Jar with Jackal's Head

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