Canopic Jar of Djehuty

When an ancient Egyptian called Djehuty was mummified, his internal organs were removed to prevent the body from rotting. They were dried, wrapped in textile and placed in a canopic jar and buried with Djehuty. Each organ was protected by one of the four sons of Horus. This canopic jar is carved from Egyptian alabaster, creamy yellow in colour with horizontal veins. The polishing has partly erased some of the hieroglyphic signs and must therefore have been done afterwards. Dark brown stains occur on the interior surface. Five columns of an inscription, with incised lines separating the columns and forming a box around the whole inscription, have been roughly pecked out, originally filled with a dark substance of which only faint traces remain. From right to left the hieroglyphs read: "Recitation by Nephthys: 'I conceal what is secret, I provide protection for Hapy who is within me. The protection of the Osiris, the god's father, sm-priest in Letopolis, priest who separates the two gods (Horus and Seth), Djehuty, justified, son of the prophet of Amun-ra, Nefer-ka-seker, born to Iret-iru, justified, is the protection of Hapy. (For) the Osiris, the god's father, sm-priest, wnr- priest in Letopolis, priest who separates the two gods, Djehuty, justified, son of the prophet of Amun-ra, Nefer-ka-seker, born to Iret-iru, justified, he is Hapy' ". Purchased at Sotheby's 23-24 July 1917 (Hope sale) Lot 172/4: "FOUR CANOPIC JARS IN ALABASTER, comprising Mestha, the man-headed - 17 in. high ; Hapi, the ape-headed - 14 in. high ; Qebhsennuf, the hawk-headed - 13 in. high ; and Tuamutef, the jackal-headed - 15 in. high. All the vases, with the exception of the first, fully inscribed - a remarkable set of the highest importance [PLATE IV.]". Diameter of base 88 mm; interior cavity has concave sides with rounded base; diameter of mouth 104 mm; depth of jar 162 mm.