Canopic jar featuring portrait of Imseti

Made:
1400-700 BCE in Egypt
Alabaster canopic jar with portrait of Imseti, Egyptian Alabaster canopic jar with portrait of Imseti, Egyptian Alabaster canopic jar with portrait of Imseti, Egyptian

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Alabaster canopic jar with portrait of Imseti, Egyptian
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Alabaster canopic jar with portrait of Imseti, Egyptian
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Alabaster canopic jar with portrait of Imseti, Egyptian
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Alabaster canopic jar with portrait of Imseti, also known as Mestha, on lid, Egyptian, 1400-700 BCE

Alabaster canopic jar with portrait of Imseti, also known as Mestha, on lid, Ancient Egyptian, 1400-700 BCE. During the preparation for mummification, the brains were removed through the nostrils, and then an incision was made in the side of the body and all the major organs removed and placed in canopic jars. Four organs would be removed each time and four jars used to protect them. They eventually came to represent the four sons of the god Horus and each had a head associated with the particular demi-god. The human headed jar (Imseti) carried the liver.

Details

Category:
Classical & Medieval Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A634862
Materials:
complete and alabaster
Measurements:
overall: 355 mm 140 mm, 5.9898 kg
type:
canopic jar
credit:
Sotheby's