Canopic Jar

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Canopic Jar

Culture: Egyptian

Period: Third Intermediate Period

Dynasty: Dynasty 21-25

Date: ca. 1069-664 B.C.

Medium: Travertine (Egyptian alabaster)

Dimensions:

h. with lid: 13 15/16 in. (35.4 cm)

diam.: 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm)

h. without lid: 10 3/8 in. (26.3 cm)

Credit Line: Museum Purchase: Stark-Willson Collection

Object number: 86.138.59

Inscribed: Three columns of text written right to left: Column 1: Dd-mdw.in wsir pf-Abx- Words spoken by the Osiris, Pef-abekh- Column 2: nt ms nbw-sA it.f Neith, born of Nebu-sa, his father Column 3: ink sA imTs I am the protection, Imsety [trans. S. Schellinger, 2018]

Provenance: By purchase, the Stark family, Orange, Texas, between 1927 and 1929; by bequest, the Nelda C. and H. J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, 1965; by purchase, the San Antonio Museum of Art with funding from Mr. and Mrs. Robert Willson, 1986

Published References C. C. Van Siclen, III, An Illustrated Checklist for Mummies, Myths and Magic (San Antonio: Van Siclen Books, 1990), p. 42, no. 2.

Label Text

These jars (86.138.57-60) held the internal organs of a man named Pef-abekh-neith. During the mummification process, embalmers removed the organs from the body and stored them in canopic jars for placement in the tomb. The jars’ lids represent the Four Sons of Horus, gods who protected the organs. Falcon-headed Qebehsenuf watched over the intestines, jackal-headed Duamutef protected the stomach, human-headed Imsety guarded the liver, and baboon-headed Hapi had charge of the lungs.

(Jessica Powers, 2018)

On view

The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.

Artwork

Canopic Jar

Canopic Jar