What Are Canopic Jars

The Canopic jars were used by the ancient Egyptians during the mummification process to hold the internal organs which were removed from the deceased. They were carved from limestone or made from pottery, and commonly used in Egypt old kingdom till the Ptolemaic period. They were stone vessels with flat lids and the human-headed faced masks were added later on in the old kingdom. In the late 18th dynasty, the stoppers of the jars were shaped with the head of fours minor funerary deities known as the “Four Sons of Horus” who were also considered the cardinal compass points, they are the baboon-headed Happy, the human-headed Imsety, the jackal-headed Duamutef, and the falcon-headed Qebehsenuef.

What Are Canopic Jars Used For

The canopic jars were four in number and were used to hold organs like the stomach, intestines, lungs and liver after being removed from the body, embalmed, anointed and wrapped in linen as for the heart, well the ancient Egyptian choose to leave it in its place as they believed that the heart held the soul. The ancient Egyptian believed that life was immortal and death was nothing more but a door to the other side. Each one of the sons of hours was responsible for a direction and an organ, they are:

Hapi, the baboon-headed god representing the north whose jar contained the lungs and was protected by the goddess Nephthys. Duamutef, the jackal-headed god representing the east whose jar contained the stomach and was protected by the goddess Neith. Imsety, the human-headed god representing the south, whose jar contained the liver and was protected by the goddess Isis. Qebehsenuef, the falcon-headed god representing the west, whose jar contained the intestines and was protected by the goddess Serqet.

The jars were placed inside a canopic chest and buried in the tombs with the sarcophagus of the dead. Many sets of jars survive from the old kingdom, in alabaster, aragonite, calcareous stone, and blue or green glazed porcelain carrying inscriptions on the outside and can be viewed in the Egyptian museum or any museum around the world.

Egypt Tours Eye of Horus is the true meaning of an ancient, powerful, beautiful Symbol and Egypt is full of amazing artifacts like it spread all over the country in Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan so don’t miss the change to witness all of them with our Egypt private tours.

FAQ

Q- What are the Must be Visited Places in Egypt? A-The entire country of Egypt deserve to be seen with its every heavenly detail but there are places that must be seen such as the breathtaking Hurghada's red sea, The wonders of Cairo the pyramids of Giza, the great sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Khan El Khalili, the wonders of Luxor like Valley of the Kings, Karnak and Hatshepsut temple and the wonders of Aswan like Abu Simbel temples, Philea temple, Unfinished obelisk and The Wonders of Alexandria like Qaitbat Citadel, Pompey's Pillar and Alexandria Library.


Q-What are Egypt's Visa Requirements? A-If you want to apply for a Visa On Arrival that lasts for 30 days then you should be one of the eligible countries, have a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining and pay 25$ USD in cash, as for the E-Visa for 30 day you should have a valid passport for at least 8 months, complete the online application, pay the e-visa fee then print the e-visa to later be presented to the airport border guard. You could also be one of the lucky ones who can obtain a free visa for 90 days. Read More About Egypt Travel Visa.


Q-What is the Top Traditional Egyptian Food?A-Egypt has a variety of delicious cuisines but we recommend “Ful & Ta’meya (Fava Beans and Falafel)”, Mulukhiya, “Koshary”, a traditional Egyptian pasta dish, and Kebab & Kofta, the Egyptian traditional meat dish.


Q-What is the Best Time to Visit Egypt?A- The best time to travel to Egypt is during the winter from September to April as the climate becomes a bit tropical accompanied by a magical atmosphere of warm weather with a winter breeze. You will be notified in the week of your trip if the weather is unsafe and if any changes have been made.


Q-What to Pack for Your Egypt Tour?A-You should pack everything you could ever need and but in a small bag so you could move easily between your destinations.


Q-Why Book With "JOURNEY TO EGYPT"? A-We have been creating the finest vacations for more than 10 years around the most majestic destinations in Egypt. Our staff consists of the best operators, guides and drivers who dedicate all of their time & effort make you have the perfect vacation. All of our tours are customized by Travel, Financial & Time consultants to fit your every possible need during your vacation. It doesn't go without saying that your safety and comfort are our main concern priority and all of our resources will be directed to provide the best atmosphere until you return home.


Q-What is the Weather is Like? A-The temperature in Egypt ranges from 37c to 14 c. Summer in Egypt is somehow hot and winter is cool and mild but sometimes it becomes cold at night. The average of low temperatures vary from 9.5 °C in the wintertime to 23 °C in the summertime and average high temperatures vary from 17 °C in the wintertime to 32 °C in the summertime. The temperature is moderate all along the coasts..