Wednesday, October 29, 2003

Astronomical Surface Decoration on Ceramics, Egypt part VI OK, this is a bit of a reach...but maybe it is all I'm going to get- Canopic jars were used to store certain internal organs that were removed during the mummification process. While their decorations changed through time, toward the end the tops were shaped like the four sons of the Egyptian god Horus. These sons, gods themselves, are represented in the sky near the consellation of the Great Bear/Big Dipper (Egypt's constellation, Thigh) The jars were placed at the cardinal points in the tomb: Imsety South Hapy North Duamutef East Qebehsenuef West Thanks to Caroline Seawright's The Sons of Horus - Imsety, Hapy, Duamutef and Qebehsenuef.. for the above. Indeed, they may have been associated with the 4 stars making up the dipper. (The Pyramid and the Body.) Thus, each jar might refer to a star and their locations in the tomb might map the stars' postions. In some ways sort of a location referent like a series of vessels I've made. 10:20:10 PM