CANOPIC JARS

Canopic Jars were used in the mummification process to store for afterlife. They are mainly carved from limestone. Canopic jars come in fours, one for the stomach, one for the intestines, one for the lungs and one for the liver. When the Egyptians first made these stone jars, there was only one jar, and that was for a head of the dead.

On top of each jar, is a face of the four sons of Horous.

-Duamutef, the god which represents the east, which represents the stomach and protected by the goddess Neith.

-Qebehsenuef, the god who has a falcon head. Represents the west, and jar contains intestines and is protected by the goddess Selket.

-Hapi, the baboon headed god, represents the North, and the jars contain lungs. And is goddess Nephthys.

-Imseti, the only human headed god represents the South, whose jar contains liver. And is protected by the goddess Iris.

The canopic jars are placed inside a canopic chest and buried in the tombs. It was believed that the dead person needs their organs to survive. The Egyptians thought the heart is the seat of the soul and is left in the body instead of canopic jars. If the heart was too heavy it would would be fed to the monster Ammit.