Egyptian Gods

The four sons of Horus were a group of four gods in Egyptian religion, who were essentially the personifications of the four canopic jars, which accompanied mummified bodies. Since the heart was thought to embody the soul, it was left inside the body. The brain was thought only to be the origin of mucus, so it was reduced to liquid, syphoned off, and discarded. This left the stomach (and small intestines), liver, large intestines, and lungs, which were removed, embalmed and stored, each organ in its own jar. There were times when embalmers deviated from this scheme: during the 21st Dynasty they embalmed and wrapped the viscera and returned them to the body, while the Canopic jars remained empty symbols.

The earliest reference to the sons of Horus is found in the Pyramid Texts where they are described as friends of the king, as they assist the king in his ascension to heaven in the eastern sky by means of ladders. Their association with Horus specifically goes back to the Old Kingdom when they were said not only to be his children but also his souls. As the king, or Pharaoh was seen as a manifestation of, or especially protected by, Horus, these parts of the deceased pharaoh, referred to as the Osiris, were seen as parts of Horus, or rather, his children, an association which did not diminish with each successive pharaoh. Since Horus was their father, so Isis, Horus’ original wife (i.e. his wife in early mythologies), was usually seen as their mother, though in the details of the funerary ritual each son, and therefore each canopic jar, was protected by a particular goddess. Just as the sons of Horus protected the contents of a canopic jar, the king’s organs, so they in turn were protected. As they were male in accordance with the principles of male/female duality their protectors were female.

Imsety in human form, protected the liver and was protected by Isis. Hapi in baboon form, protected the lungs and was protected by Nephthys. Duamutef in jackal form, protected the stomach and was protected by Neith. Qebehsenuef in hawk form, protected the large intestines and was protected by Serket.

The classic depiction of the four sons of Horus on Middle Kingdom coffins show Imsety and Duamutef on the eastern side of the coffin and Hapi and Qebehsenuef on the western side. Because the eastern side is decorated with a pair of eyes and the mummy was turned on its side to face the east and the rising sun, this side is sometimes referred to as the front. The sons of Horus also became associated with the cardinal compass points, so that Hapi was the North, Imsety the south, Duamutef the east and Qebehsenuef the west.

Up until the end of the 18th Dynasty the canopic jars had the head of the king but later they were shown with animal heads. Inscriptions on coffins and sarcophagi from earliest times showed them usually in animal form.

Hapi

Hapi is one of the Four sons of Horus in ancient Egyptian religion, depicted in funerary literature as protecting the throne of Osiris in the Underworld. He is commonly depicted with the head of a hamadryas baboon, and is tasked with protecting the lungs of the deceased, hence the common depiction of a hamadryas baboon head sculpted as the lid of the canopic jar that held the lungs. Hapi is in turn protected by the goddess Nephthys. When his image appears on the side of a coffin, he is usually aligned with the side intended to face north. When embalming practices changed during the Third Intermediate Period and the mummified organs were placed back inside the body, an amulet of Hapi would be included in the body cavity.

The spelling of his name includes a hieroglyph which is thought to be connected with steering a boat, although its exact nature is not known. For this reason he was sometimes connected with navigation, although early references call him the great runner.

Imset

In Egyptian mythology, Imseti (also transcribed Imset, Amset, sety, Mesti, and Mesta) was a funerary deity, who were associated with the canopic jars, specifically the one which contained the liver. Unlike his brothers, Imsety was not associated with any animal and was always depicted as human. The early form of Isis was considered his protector. His Canopic Jar guards the liver.

Duamutef

Duamutef was one of the Four Sons of Horus and a protection god of the Canopic jars. Commonly he is said to be the son of the god Horus the Elder (Heru-ur) and the goddess Isis. There is another myth that describes Duamutef and his brothers as sons of Osiris. According to this myth they were born from a lotus blossom that arose from the primeval ocean.

The name Duamutef means “Who adores his mother”.

First Duamutef was displayed as human wrapped in mummy bandages. Since the New Kingdom he is shown with the head of a jackal. In some cases his appearance is swapped with Qebehsenuef’s so he has the head of a falcon and Qebehsenuef has the head of a jackal.

Duamutef usually was shown on Sarcophagus and as cap of canopic jars. Some images of the Judgement of heart show him staying together with his brothers in front of Osiris on a small lotus blossom.

Together with the three other sons of Horus Imsety, Hapi and Qebehsenuef he protected the mummified internal organs. His duty was to protect the stomach.

The Pyramid texts name Duamutef as protection god of the deceased and their helper for the advance to heaven. The inscriptions of canopic jars and canpic chests he is called to protect from hunger and thirst.

According to the Egyptian Mythology he and his brothers where dedicated as protectors of the cardinal directions of the sky. Duamutef was dedicated to the east and he was also one of the star gods. For this reason Duamutef appears on astronomical documents to describe the direction where stars are placed.

Qebehsenuef

Qebehsenuef also spelled and variously transliterate as Kebehsennuf, Kebechsenef, Qebshenuf, Qebehsenuf or Kabexnuf. It means (‘He who refreshes his brothers’) was one of the sons of Horus in Egyptian mythology, the god of protection and of the West. In the preparation of mummies, his canopic jar was used for the intestines. He is seen as a mummy with a falcon head. He was said to be protected by the goddess Serket.