Canopic Jars
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Significance: Canopic jars were used by the Ancient Egyptians in their mummification process. They were used to store the person's organs for when they go to the Afterlife. The oldest dated jars were plain with no heads. Eventually they used human heads for them, and after that they used Anubis' head on them (the God of Death). But after that, the four sons of Horus were featured on the jars, and are now commonly found like that. These gods were responsible for protecting whatever organ was in the jar and were also protected themselves by a companion goddess.
The Gods used on the jars are:
The earliest canopic jars were dated to the Eleventh or Twelfth Dynasty (2000 BC - 1700 BC) of Egypt. During the Third Intermediate Period, dummy jars were introduced meaning that organs were no longer stored in them and were instead used for decoration.
The Gods used on the jars are:
- Hapi is the baboon-headed god. He represented the north and his female companion was Nephthys, the goddess of death and lamentation. This jar stored the lungs.
- Duamutef is the jackal-headed god. He represented the east and his female companion was Neith, the goddess of war, hunting and wisdom. This jar stored the stomach.
- Qebehsenuef is the falcon-headed god. He represented the west and his female companion was Serket, the goddess of Venemous Creatures, Magical Protection and the Afterlife. This jar stored the intestines.
- Imseti is the human headed god. He represented the south and his female companion was Isis, the goddess of motherhood, magic and fertility.
The earliest canopic jars were dated to the Eleventh or Twelfth Dynasty (2000 BC - 1700 BC) of Egypt. During the Third Intermediate Period, dummy jars were introduced meaning that organs were no longer stored in them and were instead used for decoration.