Canopic Jar Lid
Unknown Artist
ca. 1479–1458 B.C.
Medium
Pottery, Nile B, red ochre wask
Dimensions
H. 11.5 cm (4 1/2 in.); W. of wig 14.8 cm (5 13/16 in.); Diam. of rim 5.5 cm (2 3/8 in.)
Classification
lid, canopic, human, Senenmut
Period
New Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1927
Accession Number
27.3.559
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate Canopic jar lid, crafted around 1479–1458 B.C. during Egypt's New Kingdom (Dynasty 18), hails from a golden age of pharaonic power under rulers like Hatshepsut Thutmose III. Standing just 11.5 cm tall with a rim diameter of 5.5 cm, it once topped one of four sacred jars used in mummification rituals to safeguard the deceased's internal organs—lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines—for the afterlife journey. Made from Nile B pottery and coated in a subtle red ochre wash, the lid showcases the era's practical yet refined craftsmanship. The wide wig (spanning 14.8 cm) frames a human...