Canopic Chest of Tutankhamun

This alabaster canopic chest of Tutankhamun is considered to be one of the finest masterpieces of King Tut’s collection. The interior of the chest is divided into four compartments, each with a cylindrical hollow covered by a lid elegantly carved in the form of the king’s head.

At the four corners of the chest, carved in high relief, are four goddesses: Isis, Nephthys, Neith and Serket, who stretch out their arms to protect the contents of the chest.

Canopic Chest of Tutankhamun
Canopic chest of King Tutankhamun

Each of the four compartments of the canopic chest held a miniature coffin. Covered in linen, they stood upright in their cylindrical compartments. Each was almost glued to the bottom owing to the hardening of the unguents that had been poured in as part of the ritual.

It was the duty of the goddess Nepthys, whose name is inscribed on the front, to protect the lungs of Tutankhamun, which were placed inside, after first being preserved.

The figure, fashioned of solid beaten gold, contains inlays of colored glᴀss and semiprecious stones. It is very close in design to the second coffin in which Tutankhamun was buried; in fact, it is almost a miniature version.

Canopic Chest of Tutankhamun
Canopic Chest of Tutankhamun
Canopic jar of king Tutankhamun
Canopic jar lid of Tutankhamun

New Kingdom, late 18th Dynasty, reign of Tutankhamun, ca. 1332-1323 BC. From the Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Valley of the Kings, West Thebes. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 60687

Related Posts

The Mystery of the Bent Pyramid: An Ancient Egyptian Tale of Innovation

In the golden sands of Dahshur, where the scorching Egyptian sun casts long shadows across the desert landscape, stands a monument unlike any other in the ancient…

The Untouchable Enigma: Unraveling the Mystery of Egypt’s Bashiri Mummy

A Delicate Window into Ancient Egypt’s Past In the vast realm of Egyptian archaeology, one artifact stands apart, captivating researchers and history enthusiasts alike: the Bashiri mummy….

Archaeologists Find Mᴀssive 3,000-Year-Old Statue in Cairo Slum

Ramses II expanded the Egyptian Empire to stretch from Syria in the east to Nubia in the south. His successors called him the “Great Ancestor.” CAIRO —…

The Bound Mummy of Cajamarquilla: Unearthing Peru’s Ancient Secrets

In 2021, deep beneath the dry soil of Cajamarquilla, an ancient urban complex on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, archaeologists uncovered a discovery that stunned the world….

The Megalithic Marvel of Sacsayhuamán, Peru

High above the city of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, stands one of the most extraordinary feats of engineering ever accomplished: the fortress of…

The Mysterious Parallels of Dolmens: India and the Caucasus

Across continents and separated by thousands of kilometers, ancient stone monuments echo each other in form and function. The dolmens of southern India and those scattered across…