Egyptian Human-Headed Canopic Jar Set

Early New Kingdom, 1550-1070 BC. An important set of alabaster canopic jars with human-headed stoppers, each individually modelled with exposed ears and throat, wearing a long smooth wig, black pigment to the eyes and eyebrows; plain bodies with rounded shoulders, hollowed out to hold the viscera of the deceased. See The British Museum, accession number EA 35084; Lilyquist, C., 'Some Dynasty 18 Canopic Jars from Royal Burials in the Cairo Museum' in Journal of the American Research Centre in Egypt, vol 30, 1993; Reisner, G., Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire, 1967, nos.4001-4740 and 4977-5033. 33.6 kg total, 33cm each (13"). Acquired from Galerie Archaique, Osaka, Japan, in 1974. Mr Asheroffe, Paris, France. Private UK collection, 1996-2013. Property of a gentleman living in central London. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Dr Alberto Pollastrini. Accompanied by a geological scholarly report no.TL5409 by Dr Ronald Bonewitz. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10718-175409. Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS writes: 'Middle Kingdom canopic jars each have human heads. It is only from the 18th Dynasty in the New Kingdom that the individual heads of The Four Sons of Horus are introduced. Tutankhamun’s four portrait head canopic jars in nemes headdress are an exception.' [4] [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website.]
Condition Report: Fine condition, two jars with old repairs.