Relating to the special jars used in ancient Egyptian mummification to store the preserved organs of the deceased. Each jar was protected by one of the four Sons of Horus and contained specific organs like the liver, lungs, stomach, or intestines.
Named after the ancient Egyptian city of Canopus, where the god Khnum was worshipped in jar-like form. The term was applied by early archaeologists who noted the similarity between these storage vessels and representations of the Canopic god.
Canopic jars had distinctive heads representing protective deities: human-headed Imsety guarded the liver, baboon-headed Hapi protected the lungs, jackal-headed Duamutef watched the stomach, and falcon-headed Qebehsenuef guarded the intestines. Interestingly, the heart was left in the body because Egyptians believed it was needed for judgment in the afterlife!
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