Egyptian canopic jar
Limestone, excavated between 1850 and 1894
The need to preserve the body after death was central to ancient
Egyptian beliefs. Mummification was a complicated preservation
technique that lasted up to 70 days. In order to prevent the body
from rapidly decomposing many of the internal organs were removed.
The lungs, stomach, liver and intestines were each assigned a
different canopic jar, which was then placed in the tomb close to
the body.