Canopic Shrine

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The Canopic Shrine of King Tutankhamun is a 35.6” long by 35” wide by 53.5” high structure consisting of three separate sections used to house the important mummified organs of King Tutankhamun. The outer shrine is a subtractive method gilded wood frame in the round resting on sledges with a roof bordered by cobras with solar discs on their heads. The cobras, or uraei, is a symbol of royalty and is an indication of the status of the person the shrine is dedicated to. The sun discs are a representation of the sun god Aton, who was the primary deity during the reign of King Tutankhamun. The outer box is a subtractive method gilded wood box in the round with relief carvings on each of the four sides. The roof of this box is also decorated with…show more content…
Neith, the goddess of the universe and the prime creator, is on the east side of the bod and is the protector of the jackal-headed god Duamutef. Isis, the goddess of life and protector of kings, is on the south side of the box and is the protector of the human-headed god Imsety. Serqet, the scorpion goddess, is on the west side of the box and is the protector of the falcon-headed god Qebehsenuef. The relief carving on the sides of the box are scenes of the king and queen in their daily life. The canopic chest protected by the outer shrine is a subtractive method alabaster chest in the round with relief carvings on each side. Inside the chest are four sections to house the four canopic jars that hold each of the…show more content…
Many pharaohs and other nobility during the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt were buried in the rocky cliffs of the valley for protection against tomb raiders. They had seen what became of the tombs and pyramids of the Old Kingdom and wanted to try to hide their burials so they could be safe in the afterlife. Instead of building up from flat ground, these burial sites were dug into the sides of the mountains and were kept secret from the rest of the world. A main temple would be erected instead in a more public place where people could come to pay their respects to the dead. This method of burial did not stop tomb raiders completely from finding the locations of the burials, but it made it far more difficult. The tomb of King Tutankhamun is most well-known for being completely untouched and ignored by tomb raiders. Everything that the pharaoh was buried with was still intact, which led modern day historians to extrapolate information about how other burials would have been set up. A pharaoh was buried with everything that they would need in life under the assumption that they could take it with them and use it in the afterlife. The more wealth a pharaoh had, the more could be buried with them and the more luxuries they would have for the rest of eternity. From what could be seen in the tomb of Tutankhamun, the quantity of goods was more important than how they were organized in the

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