See also: Canope

In the ancient Egypt, the vases canopes , four, were intended to receive the embaumés Viscère S of the late one. They were manufactured in Calcaire, Albâtre, Terra cotta, Céramique or Faïence and were deposited close to the Sarcophage, in the funerary room of the tomb, on a case or a tank.

One gave also the name of canopes to vases where one kept the water of the the Nile to drink it, as at species of ballot boxes where the body of crowned animals was contained or which one placed near the Momie S.

Origin

They are antique dealers of the 19th century who would have allotted to these vases the adjective canope ( canopus in Latin), coming from the name of an Egyptian quoted of the Western delta, where according to the Greek one adored a divinity represented in the shape of a jug.

One allots to Champollion the discovery of the use of the vases canopes. The November 12th 1812, during the examination of a funerary vase, it notes: we replaçâmes the canope in ebullient water and it was easy for us to withdraw bottom a foreign body. It was wrapped in a rather fine bolt of canvas of six inches broad on eight length. it was an animal matter whose type gave him analogy with the liver, the heart or spleen of the man. the volume of this object brought it closer the most rate.

Evolution

During the history, the number of these small vases did not vary, but their form, it, undergoes an evolution. First of all rather sober and corpulent, they become slimmer starting from the reign of Aménophis {{III}} (Nouvel Empire) with high shoulders and a narrow base. With the Low time, their forms become squater.

The stoppers also evolved/moved. Initially round or flat, they took, with the Nouvel Empire, an human form, carrying the features of the late one. It is starting from that appeared the stoppers accounting for the four Fils of Horus, the four geniuses including three with head of animal. This representation spread at the time ramesside.

Values symbolic systems

Each vase was associated with a genius (one of four wire of Horus), a goddess and a cardinal point, and its role was to protect the bodies which it contained.

• the Liver:
• the genius Amset with human head;
• the goddess Isis;
• South.

• the Lung S:

• the genius Hâpi with head of Baboon (cynocephalus);
• the goddess Nephtys;
• North.

• the Stomach:

• the genius Douamoutef with head of jackal;
• the goddess Neith;
• Is.

• Internal S:

• the genius Qebehsenouf with head of Falcon or sparrowhawk (Hiéracocéphale);
• the goddess Serket;
• West.

four wire of Horus represented on the vases canope :