Collections: Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Middle Eastern Art: Canopic Jar of Lady Senebtisi

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Canopic Jar of Lady Senebtisi

In the Old Kingdom, embalmers frequently removed a corpse's stomach, liver, lungs, and intestines and placed them in special jars to be buried in a tomb with the deceased's mummy. Early Egyptologists called these vessels "canopic jars" as a reference to the mythical Greek sailor named Canopus who died in Egypt and was worshiped there in the form of a jar.

The practice of removing the organs and packing them separately declined in the Middle Kingdom. Instead, funerary workers often left them inside the mummy. Nevertheless, for reasons of magic or tradition, Middle Kingdom Egyptians still included canopic jars in most burials, Some jars contained mud and straw; others, like these four examples, were left empty.

This text refers to these objects: 14.662a-b; 14.663a-b; 14.664a-b; 14.665a-b

• Medium: Limestone, painted
• Place Excavated: Tomb 92, Harageh, Egypt
• Dates: ca. 1938-1759 B.C.E.
• Dynasty: XII Dynasty
• Period: Middle Kingdom
• Dimensions: 10 1/2 x Diam. 8 in. (26.7 x 20.3 cm)
• Collections: Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Middle Eastern Art
• Museum Location: This item is on view in Egypt Reborn: Art for Eternity, Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
• Accession Number: 14.664a-b
• Credit Line: Museum Collection Fund
• Image: Overall, 14.664a-b_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
Canopic Jar of Lady Senebtisi, ca. 1938-1759 B.C.E. Limestone, painted, 10 1/2 x Diam. 8 in. (26.7 x 20.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Collection Fund, 14.664a-b (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 14.664a-b_SL1.jpg)
• Catalogue Description: Set of 4 limestone Canopic Jars of the Lady Senebtisi - Jars painted yellow, inscribed on center of body in three short columns of black hieroglyphs, covers have portrait heads bearded, with one exception. Condition: General condition good; two jars intact, bodies of other two (14.665 and 14.662) badly broken and have been assembled, but are practically intact. Inscriptions on 14.662 totally defaced, inscription on 14.663 partially defaced. No trace of contents in any jar.