Lesson 2: Mummification
Send In Activity 2
Option B: Make a Canopic Jar
A mummy's tomb contained many objects, including a set of small
containers called canopic jars. Canopic jars came in four styles.
Choose one of the four styles and make a canopic jar of your own.
Send your teacher a photograph of your finished jar and a short statement
explaining what it was used for. (15 marks)
Materials:
• Sandpaper
• Acrylic or tempera paint (white, blue, green, yellow,
and black)
• Container of water
• Paint brush
|
• Self-drying clay
• Rolling pin
• Cutting board
• Modelling tool |
Step 1:
Roll out the clay and cut out a circle about 7 cm in diameter. This
is the base of the jar. Now roll out thin strips of clay. Coil these
from the base to make the sides.
Step 2:
Carefully press out the bumps between the coils until the sides of
the jar are smooth and round. Then trim the bottom of the jar with
a modelling tool.
Step 3:
Now make a lid for the jar. Measure the size needed and cut out a
circle of the remaining clay. Mould it into a dome. On the dome, model
the head you have chosen. Leave the lid some place warm to dry.
Step 4:
When both the jar and the lid are completely dry, rub them down with
sandpaper until they are smooth. The lid should fit snugly on the
jar.
Step 5:
Paint the jar and the lid appropriately.
Marking Guide:
The finished canopic jar should:
- resemble the colour, shape, and design of one of the four Egyptian
canopic jars
- be accompanied by a short written description stating what the
jar was used for.
- be clearly shown in the submitted photograph.
Helpful websites:
What were canopic jars, and what did they look like? Check out some
of these links to find out:
http://www.dia.org/collections/ancient/egypt/70.619-.622.html
http://www2.sptimes.com/Egypt/Artifacts/Artifacts.5.html
http://jtaltman.com/setofcanjar.html
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~rogergraham/canopic_jars_j&b.html
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