Lot 4
Ancient Art. Egypt, New Kingdom, ca. 1550 to 1070 BCE. Wow! This is an amazing limestone canopic jar with its lid styled as the head of a jackal, representing Duamutef, son of Horus. His role as a canopic jar was to protect the stomach - not surprising that a canine would be in charge of the stomach! The body of the vessel is bulbous and rounded, with a flat foot and a round, drilled opening at the top for inserting the organ. The head has a narrowed insert to form the seal of the lid, then widen out into a large collar and a beautifully-detailed head of a jackal. He has long, almond shaped eyes, two tall, pointed ears, and a well-formed snout, just slightly opened at the lips. The body was probably once painted, including hieroglyphs that would state the owner's name. Size: 4" L x 4.5" W x 7.85" H (10.2 cm x 11.4 cm x 19.9 cm)
Canopic jars are some of the most iconic artifacts from Egypt, made to hold internal organs removed during the mummification process. This tradition lasted for an incredibly long time - the first evidence for a canopic chest containing organs comes from the Fourth Dynasty (ca. 2600 BCE) and they were used into the late 1st millennium BCE. The four Sons of Horus, including Duamutef, were the ones charged with protecting the internal organs, as they had originally been charged with protecting the body of Osiris. Today, the remains placed in these jars are yielding interesting scientific results, as archaeologists look at ancient bacteria found inside the ancient viscera. A fascinating and gorgeous piece, especially for someone who loves a well-carved canine!
Provenance: private Florida, USA collection
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#126112
- Condition: Surface wear commensurate with age. Small chips, including to tips of ears and around collar. Manganese deposits on surface. The jar itself has some losses that appear to be from weathering. Overall, however, excellent preserved detail on the lid, and a really beautiful, rare piece.
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