Ancient Egyptian Medicine Curius Institutio a Curatio Vetustas Mummification "Canopic/Viscera Jars"

Viscera/ Canopic Jars

During mummification, the various organs were removed from the body of the deceased. Most of the organs were then place in canopic or viscera jars. The heart was left in the body because it was considered the center of the soul, intelligence, and emotion. The brain was discarded because Egyptians saw no value in it. The liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines were removed and washed with a kind of white wine, and then wrapped and place in canopic jars. There are a wide variety of canopic jars that were found in Egyptian tombs. However, there were always a grouping of four viscera jars which represented the sons of Horus: Duamutif, Hapy, Quebehsenuf, and Imsety. Respectively, they were a jackal who protected the intestines, a baboon which protected the lungs, a falcon which protected the intestines, and a human who protected the liver. The ancient Egyptians took death very seriously.

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--Four viscera jars representing Horus' sons. (Citation)--





--These Horus-Sons canopic jars are made of limestone and are dated to the 21st-22nd Dynasty, 1069 B.C. - 710 B.C.. (Citation)--






--These canopic jars are made of limestone, and are dated to the Middle Kingdon/12th Dynasty, 1991 B.C. - 1782 B.C.. (Citation)--






--Four Horus-Son canopic jars. (Citation)--

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