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 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 jar of king 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

Ramses II: The Legendary Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.

Ramses II (1303 BCE–1213 BCE), often regarded as one of the most influential and powerful rulers in history, reigned during the pinnacle of Ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom….

The Silver Coffin of King Psusennes I: A Unique Royal Burial

The Silver Coffin of King Psusennes I, dating to the 21st Dynasty (c. 1047–1001 B.C.), stands as one of ancient Egypt’s most remarkable funerary artifacts. Discovered in…

The Girl in the Coffin: A Forgotten Child Who Slept for 140 Years

In 2016, workers renovating a simple San Francisco home stumbled upon something extraordinary. Beneath the soil, resting silently for more than a century, lay a small coffin…

Unearthing the Past: The Remarkable Discovery of a Woolly Mammoth

In the frozen soils of Siberia and other parts of the northern hemisphere, time has preserved an incredible legacy from the Ice Age. The woolly mammoth (Mammuthus…

A Hidden Marvel in the Egyptian Desert: The 60-Ton Granite Sarcophagus

The vast, enigmatic Egyptian desert has once again revealed a stunning relic from antiquity — a colossal 60-ton granite sarcophagus that has remained untouched for millennia. This…

Discover the Hidden Animal Carvings in the Ancient Inca Walls of Cusco!

The ancient city of Cusco, Peru, once the heart of the Inca Empire, stands as a testament to the remarkable skills and deep cultural beliefs of the…