canopic jar

a jar used in ancient Egypt to contain the entrails of an embalmed body.

Also, Canopic jar. Also called canopic vase.

[1890-95]

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In ancient Egyptian funerary ritual, a covered vessel of wood, stone, pottery, or faience containing the embalmed viscera removed from a body during mummification.

First used during the Old Kingdom (с 2575–с 2130 BC), the jars became more elaborate during the Middle Kingdom (с 1938–с 1600 BC), when their lids were decorated with sculpted human heads (probably representations of the deceased). From the 19th dynasty until the end of the New Kingdom (1539–1075 BC), the heads represented the four sons of Horus. During the 20th dynasty (1190–1075 BC), the practice began of returning the viscera to the body, and the art of canopic jars declined.

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▪ Egyptian funerary vessel

 in ancient Egyptian funerary ritual, covered vessel of wood, stone, pottery, or faience in which was buried the embalmed viscera removed from a body during the process of mummification. The earliest canopic jars, which came into use during the Old Kingdom (c. 2575–c. 2130 BCE), had plain lids, but during the Middle Kingdom (c. 1938–c. 1630 BCE) the jars were decorated with sculpted human heads; from the 19th dynasty until the end of the New Kingdom (1539–1075 BCE), the heads represented the four sons of the god Horus (jackal-headed Duamutef, falcon-headed Qebehsenuf, human-headed Imset, and baboon-headed Hapy). From the 21st to the 25th dynasty (1075–664 BCE), the practice began of returning the embalmed viscera to the body, prompting the appearance of “dummy” canopic jars, vessels in the shape of images of the sons of Horus but with no interior cavity.

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