WHAT IS THE CANOPİC JAR ?

CANOPİC JAR: An ancient Egyptian funerary ritual in which four covered vessels of wood, stone, pottery, or faience were used to hold the organs removed during mummification. The embalmed liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines were placed in separate canopic jars. The jars or urns were then placed beside the mummy in the tomb, to be reunited in spirit, subject to the appropriate spells and rituals having been performed. The earliest canopic jars came into use during the Old Kingdom (c. 2575–2130 bc) and had plain lids. During the Middle Kingdom (c. 1938–1600 bc) the jars were decorated with sculpted human heads, probably depicting the deceased. Then, from the 19th dynasty until the end of the New Kingdom (1539–1075 bc), the heads represented the four sons of the god Horus (Duamutef, Qebehsenuf, Imset, Hapy). In the 20th dynasty (1190–1075 bc) the practice began

of returning the embalmed viscera to the body. The term appears to refer to a Greek demigod, Canopus, venerated in the form of a jar with a human head. [canopea, canopic vase, canopic vessel]