Canopic Jars or What To Do With One’s Viscera

Canopic jars were an important part of the Egyptian burial ritual. They were where the internal organs of the deceased were stored. (I know, ew!) But the Egyptians believed they would need access to those organs in order to become whole again in the afterlife.

There were four canopic jars per person, and each of those were decorated with the head of one of the fours sons of Horus. Mesthi had a human head and guarded the liver. Hapy, with the head of a dog (although sometimes he was shown with an ape head) guarded the lungs. Tuamutef was the jackal-headed son who guarded the stomach, and Qebhsennuf used his fierce hawk head to guard the intestines.

In addition to that, the four jars were protected by four goddesses as well; Isis, Nepthys, Neith, and Serket.

Honestly. It’s hard to imagine they’d go to so much trouble over viscera!