Admin What do the 4 tops of the canopic jars represent?
The canopic jars were four in number, each for the safekeeping of particular human organs: the stomach, intestines, lungs, and liver, all of which, it was believed, would be needed in the afterlife. There was no jar for the heart: the Egyptians believed it to be the seat of the soul, and so it was left inside the body.
What are the symbols on the canopic jars?
The jars were traditionally decorated with the four sons of the god Horus: Qebehsenuef (hawk head), Hapy (baboon head), Duamutef (jackal head), and Imsety (human head). They guarded the intestines, lungs, stomach and liver respectively.
What did the stoppers on canopic jars represent?
Canopic jars often had stoppers in the form of heads that represented these deities: the jar with baboon head (Hapi) protected the lungs, the jar with the human head (Imsety) contained the liver, the jar with the jackal head (Dua-mutef) held the stomach, and the jar with the hawk’s head (Qebeh-senu-ef) protected the …
What hieroglyphics are written on canopic jars and what do they mean?
The hieroglyphic text on each jar contains a protective spell, specifies the respective guardian Canopic deity and names the deceased person whose organ it contained. On the Imsety jar, the name of the owner Psamtek appears to be preceded by the title ‘Greatest of Five’, i.e. high priest of Thoth at Hermopolis.
What was written on the canopic jars?
Traditionally, the lid of each canopic jar bears the head of one of the four Sons of Horus, each believed to protect the jar’s contents. The hieroglyphic text on each jar sometimes contains a protective inscription, specifies the respective guardian deity, and may name the deceased person whose organ it contains.
What are in canopic jars?
Canopic jars were made to contain the organs that were removed from the body in the process of mummification: the lungs, liver, intestines, and stomach. Each organ was protected by one of the Four Sons of Horus: Hapy (lungs), Imsety (liver), Duamutef (stomach), and Qebehsenuef (intestines).