Akhet - The Horizon

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Canopic Jar - Cartouche - Crown
(more coming)

Canopic Jar At mummification the intestines were taken out of the body and placed in four vessels of stone or ceramic. These were called the 'Four Sons of Horus', linked to deities and the four cardinal points; Imsety was human-headed, connected with Isis, the south and protected the liver. Hapy with the head of an ape and linked with Nephtys, the north, protected the lungs. Duamutef was jackal-headed and linked with Neith, the east, guarded the stomach. Qebesenuef was falconheaded, linked to Serqet, the west and guarded the intestines. The use and form of canopic jars varied through time, the first evidence is from the 4th Dynasty and the latest in Ptolemaic time.

Cartouche The word 'Cartouche' is French originally, as the Napoleon troups likened its elliptical shape to their gun cartridges. The ancient Egyptian word for it is the shen hieroglyph. A cartouche is formed like a rope encircling the royal titulary of kings. Already in the 4th Dynasty it was used around the king´s throne name (nesw-bit)and his birth name (sa Ra). The purpose of the cartouche was to protect, according to the shen hieroglyph, which signified 'encircling protection'. The cartouche and the royal names provided valuable help to Champollion among others, who worked to dechifer the hieroglyphs in the 18th century.

Crown Coming