Fragments of Canopic Jar(s) Belonging to Senimen

Fragments of several canopic jars, including a fragmentary human-headed lid, were uncovered during the Museum's excavations in the vicinity of Theban tomb (TT) no. 252, the tomb of a man named Senimen. A high official during the reign of Thutmose II and the joint reign of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, Senimen was the steward and tutor of Princess Neferure, Thutmose II and Hatshepsut’s daughter.

The purpose of canopic jars in ancient Egypt was to hold and protect the viscera removed from the deceased’s body during the mummification process. They traditionally came in sets of four, as the liver, lungs, stomach and intestines were embalmed and stored individually. The four containers were usually put inside a chest and placed in the tomb chamber.
Senimen’s funerary equipment was found in pieces outside his tomb, and several fragments of his canopic equipment cannot be assigned with certainty to a particular jar. Each may join with one (or more) of the three jars that can be partially reconstituted (35.3.333b.1-.2, 35.3.333c and 35.3.333d), or may come from a fourth jar.
In the latter case, they could then have contained the stomach of Senimen, traditionally protected by the goddess Neith and the Son of Horus Duamutef.