Tall shrine-shaped 'canopic' box
On the front side of the box the main scene depicts a king in a white crown offering to Osiris who is followed by the deceased, while on the rear a falcon with spread drooping wings and heraldic cobras on either side is shown. The two side vignettes are the ones that clearly indicate the purpose of the box: on one side of the box appear two shrines in which kings or a king and a figure with a disc on its head offer to the Sons of Horus Hapy (baboon head) and Imseti (human head); on the other side of the box the two shrines enclose figures offering to the Sons of Horus Duamutef (jackal head) and Qebesenuef (falcon head). Blanks are left where texts would have been filled in.
Such boxes where the Sons of Horus figure prominently are understood to function either as containers for the viscera since canopic jars have gone out of use, or to hold materials from the embalming process respected because of their association with the body. Examples with preserved lids can have a three-dimensional figure of Sokar or of Anubis on the lid.
The tall boxes seem to belong to the 4th century B.C. and later. The precise dating of this one is not clear.
Such boxes where the Sons of Horus figure prominently are understood to function either as containers for the viscera since canopic jars have gone out of use, or to hold materials from the embalming process respected because of their association with the body. Examples with preserved lids can have a three-dimensional figure of Sokar or of Anubis on the lid.
The tall boxes seem to belong to the 4th century B.C. and later. The precise dating of this one is not clear.
Artwork Details
- Title: Tall shrine-shaped 'canopic' box
- Period: Ptolemaic or Roman Period
- Date: 4th century B.C.–1st century A.D.
- Geography: From Egypt
- Medium: Wood, paste, paint
- Dimensions: H 46.5 × W 23.5 × D 25.5 cm (18 5/16 × 9 1/4 × 10 1/16 in.)
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1921
- Object Number: 21.2.63
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
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ca. 1981–1802 B.C.
ca. 1850–1750 B.C.
ca. 1961–1878 B.C.
5th–4th century B.C.
332–30 BCE
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