Viscera Coffin

This is a “viscera coffin” dated to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1400 B.C.E.). A “viscera coffin” (sometimes called a coffinette) is very similar to a canopic jar because it stored the mummified organ of the deceased, however it looks like a coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 instead of a jar! These were popular during the 18th Dynasty. Most famously, Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 were found in tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 viscera coffins that were almost exact replicas of the larger coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 that he was found to be buried in!

This viscera coffin is made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 and overlaid with gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf, which was a very popular way to make it look like a piece was made of solid gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 when it wasn’t! There are also lots of beautiful 𓄤 inlaid stones 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪𓏦 of many different colors. The stones 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪𓏦 make up the Nemes head cloth 𓈖𓅓𓋴 and the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is wearing! While it is it in the most pristine condition, I like how the wear and tear gives us a look into the different materials that make up the piece!

Obviously, I love this piece because this viscera coffin shows Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! As everyone knows, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my absolute favorite Egyptian god 𓊹 so I always get so excited when I see a unique piece that depicts him! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the god 𓊹 of mummification, burial rites and tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏥/cemeteries, so it makes sense to have him on a visceral coffin!

There are two 𓏻 words for “coffin” and another for “sarcophagus” in Middle Egyptian:
𓅱𓇋𓀾 – Mummiform coffin
𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 – Coffin
𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 – Sarcophagus