Howard Carter discovered Canopic Shrine against the eastern wall of the Treasury facing the door of the burial chamber. Inside this gilded shrine were the four canopic coffins of king Tutankhamun.
At each side of this shrine stands a statue of one of the four female divinities in charge of protecting the deceased king, their faces turned slightly to one side, and their arms stretched out in a gesture of protection. These goddesses are Isis, Nephthys, Neith, and Sereket.
At each side of this shrine stands a statue of one of the four female divinities in charge of protecting the deceased king, their faces turned slightly to one side, and their arms stretched out in a gesture of protection. These goddesses are Isis, Nephthys, Neith, and Sereket.
The outer canopy of gilded wood, fixed to a sled, consists of four square corner posts supporting a projecting cavetto cornice topped by a frieze of uraei, or cobras, with solar disks. A cavetto cornice is a concave molding with a cross-section that approximates a quarter circle. Scenes of the protective deities are incised in relief on the sides of the shrine.
The Canopic Shrine consists of two main parts, the inner part and the outer part:
The outer part or ‘Canopy’ is made out of gilded wood and consists of four corner posts surmounted by cavetto cornice, the two outer sides of each post are decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions carrying the names and titles of the pharaoh. The roof is supported by a frieze of cobras surmounted by solar disks inlaid with semi precious stones: the light blue colour referring to the turquoise, the red colour being red cornelian, the dark blue colour being made from lapis lazuli.
In between the corner posts of each shrine, there is a statue of one of the protective goddesses identified by her hieroglyphic emblem shown on her head. These statues are represented in standing attitude with their feet inwards extending their arms in a protective manner. The heads are slightly tilted to one side (either left or right) breaking the ancient Egyptian rule of frontality. They stand upon a sledge and are all made out of gilded wood.
Features of the Amarna style of art appear in the representation of the pleated dresses, 2 wrinkles under the necks and the pierced ears lobes. Each goddess is wearing the Kh3t headdress. The inner part: It is also made out of gilded wood, decorated with a cavetto cornice and tours moulding with a frieze of cobras at the top. The shrine is decorated with scenes on the four sides. The scenes are representing the protective goddesses together with the appropriate son of Horus.
The Canopic Shrine of Tutankhamun pictures
