A group of four limestone canopic jars of Djedbastiufankh, with lids in the shapes of different gods. A long and detailed inscription is incised in columns on the body of the jars.

Student resource

Label the canopic jars

Student resource

Ages 7–11 (KS2)

For children to use with an adult's help. 

Top tip

Read the introduction carefully to help you play the game.

Drag and drop the keywords to identify each canopic jar.

Ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died, their organs needed to be preserved for their spirit to live on in the afterlife. They removed them from the body and preserved them separately. Sometimes, the preserved organs were put in special vessels called canopic jars. Each jar had a different lid representing one of four gods: 

  • Imsety was a human god who protected the liver. 
  • Hapy was shown as a baboon-headed god and looked after the lungs. 
  • Duamutef had the head of a jackal and guarded the stomach. 
  • Qebehsenuef was the falcon-headed god who watched over the intestines. 

These jars were usually kept in a special container called a canopic chest. The canopic chest was placed with the mummified body inside the tomb, alongside other offerings that the deceased might need in the afterlife.

  • To identify the canopic jars in the game below, drag and drop the keywords in this order: animal at the top, organ in the middle and god's name at the bottom.
  • Words will turn green when they're in the right place. 
  • This activity works best on desktop and laptop computers. 

Canopic jars game