Preserving King Tut's Guts: The Canopic Shrine and Jars Introduced
As we described in our recent handy guide to how to make a mummy, the ancient Egyptians went to great and grizzly lengths to ensure that every last bit of a body was efficiently preserved. The internal organs had to be removed in order to effectively dry out a corpse. They would then be individually wrapped and preserved separately in canopic vessels.
King Tut’s guts – in keeping with the generally lavish and wondrous spirit of his mummification and burial – were given extra-special treatment, as we discover in the first instalment of the new four part video series, Tut’s Treasures. Shot by Nico Piazza, and featuring still photography by Sandro Vannini, it examines some of the finest artefacts found by Howard Carter in KV62 in the 1920s.
Prominent Egyptologist and archaeologist Dr Janice Kamrin (who you should watch in this video examining the Lost Tombs of Thebes with Dr Zahi Hawass) introduces interviewer Sharif Shoaier to the spectacular canopic shrine, in its display case in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Within this beautiful artefact, the Boy Kings’ viscera were elaborately laid to rest.
The Canopic Shrine
The lungs, intestine, stomach and liver needed to be removed in the process of mummification, Dr Kamrin notes, “because they contained moisture and it added to the speed of the decay.” The canopic shrine – which stands almost as tall as a man and is made from solid gold – was the outer casing of a nest of special ritual containers for Tutankhamun’s regal innards.
It’s ornately decorated, with lots of inscriptions and carvings of gods and goddesses (in both human and animal form) including the four sons of Horus – Imsety, Duamutef, Hapi and Qebehsenuef, who were essentially the canopic jars personified.
Two deities that Kamrin highlights are matriarchal patron of nature and magic Isis (who handily has her name etched into her head) and Kamrin’s personal favourite, Serqet, the scorpion goddess (one of our Top Ten Animal Gods and Goddesses).
Among the inscriptions, quite remarkably are tips on how to put the canopic shrine together, IKEA-style. “They took this stuff apart then put it back together using assembly instructions,” says Kamrin. They really did think of everything, the ancient Egyptians.
The Canopic Chest
Kamrin next leads Shoaier and the camera to the canopic chest, located in an adjacent display case. This brilliant white box and lid – both carved from solid blocks of Egyptian alabaster – were found placed inside the canopic shrine.
“They loved to nest things; it’s all layers of protection,” Kamrin explains. “The more you protect everything the better.” The four individual viscera were stored in this chest, after they had been wrapped then sealed in beautiful inlaid miniature gold coffinettes (which can be viewed in the Egyptian Museum’s jewellery room). The canopic chest too is carved with goddesses, and inscribed with spells, which would be spoken by the goddesses, stating that they are protecting the gods which are protecting the viscera themselves.
“This beautiful shrine was protecting the entrance to the treasury,” Kamrin notes at the end, just after the credits in the video. She then neatly tees-up the forthcoming second instalment of Tut’s Treasures. “Shall we go look at Anubis?” Kamrin asks, referring to the jackal-headed god which Egyptian mythology associated with mummification and the afterlife. A large statue of Anubis guarded Tut’s tomb. “To be continued...” reads the final caption – watch this space!
HD Video: Tut's Treasures (Part 1/4) - The Canopic Shrine
(Read the transcript on the video page)
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Fantastic video - I never realised how big the Canopic Shrine was! I'm suprised people in the background aren't staring in amazement at it.
The protection glyphs are interesting. They had a very mortalish view of thier gods during that age.
I believe most of the ancient gods were 'not immortal'? Just look at the Panthenon... almost the entire bunch got eaten, most of the time by their parents or siblings... . ;)
(On the other hand, Osiris did survive being cut in multiple pieces, chainsaw-massacre style.)
What I found interesting in this video are assembly instructions. The first thing came to my mind was that the egyptians might also have had some cardboard box style signs like 'Up' or 'Fragile' or 'Handle with care'... =)
It was a pleasure to see such a relaxed, informative guide speaking so fluently about the topic. Well done, Dr. Kamrin.
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