Lid

The lid in the shape of a human head originally belonged to a vessel, known as a canopic, containing entrails. As it was assumed in Egypt that the deceased could only exist in the afterlife with a fully functional body, they were mummified. Prior to this, priests removed the viscera (liver, lungs, intestines and stomach) and placed them in four canopic jars. The lids of canopic jars were modelled after the heads of the four Horus sons. These deities functioned as protective deities for the intestines. Each of these Horus sons was assigned to a specific organ: Amset, the human-headed son of Horus, protected the liver, the monkey-headed Hapi the lungs, the falcon-headed Duamutef the stomach and Kebehse-nuef, with the head of a jackal, the intestines. This canopic lid shaped like a human head was originally part of the university collection.