Canopic chest of Sobekemsaf I

Sobekemsaf was a Theban king of the Second Intermediate Period, when northern Egypt was occupied by the Hyksos. This chest contained his embalmed entrails, which were wrapped and contained in four ‘canopic’ jars. An image of these jars is painted on the flat inside lid of this chest.

The outer surface of the lid is convex, symbolising the firmament. Depicted on the sides of the chest is the jackal-headed god Anubis, protector of the burial ground and of mummification.

Sobekemsaf I was a ruler of the 17th Dynasty of Egypt, which existed during the Second Intermediate Period (ca. 1650-1550 BC). This period is often associated with a time of political instability in Egypt, particularly due to the rise of the Hyksos, a group of Asiatic rulers who took control of parts of Egypt. Sobekemsaf I’s reign is marked by his efforts to maintain Egyptian authority and possibly reclaim lost territories.

In Ancient Egypt, preserving the body and its organs was of utmost importance, as it was believed that the body had to remain intact for the soul to live on in the afterlife.

The canopic jars were part of the mummification process, specifically meant for storing the deceased’s internal organs, which were removed during embalming. These jars would be placed in the canopic chest to ensure the king’s organs were protected for the afterlife. The chest itself would be placed in the tomb, sometimes alongside the mummy or within the tomb’s complex of burial goods.

Second Intermediate Period, 17th Dynasty, ca. 1628 BC. From Dra’ Abu el-Naga’, Thebes. Now in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden. AH 216