Egyptian Canopic Jars with Rigid Wrap Plaster Cloth
Grade Levels: 6th Grade and up
Cross Curriculum: World History - Social Studies
National Standards History:
• Understands selected attributes and historical developments of societies in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
• Discuss elements and principles of art: balance, symmetry, form, line, color
• Practice and produce modeled forms, sculptures
• Connect art to history and cultures
• Students will be familiar with ancient Egyptian Art and culture. They will have knowledge of ancient traditions. The learner will create an Egyptian canopic container representing one of the four sons of Horus: Imsety had a human head, Qebehsenuf had the head of a falcon, Hapy had a baboon head, or Duamatef had the head of a jackal.
• ACTÍVA Rigid Wrap
• Cylindrical container (such as oatmeal, powdered drink mix, etc.)
• Cardboard or paper towel rolls to create armature
• Masking tape to hold armature together
• Newspaper to create armature
• Various acrylic paints or permanent markers can be used to decorate
• Send home a note to parents letting them know about the upcoming project.
• The learners should research Canopic Jars, what they look like and what their purpose was in ancient Egyptian culture.
• Student should sketch out their plan for their Canopic Jar. Which head will they create? What will it look like? How will they form the armature? What colors will they use? Will it include hieroglyphics?
• Demonstrate forming an armature using the newspaper, cardboard, and masking tape. To form the head, roll newspaper into a ball shape and tape onto cylindrical container. Cut out various shapes of cardboard and paper towel rolls to create the ears, snout, beak, headdress, or other appendages and tape them onto the cylindrical container and newspaper. Stuff any hollow parts with newspaper and use lots of masking tape to make it sturdy. Emphasize that their Canopic Jar should be balanced and symmetrical.
• Cut Rigid Wrap into small strips about 2” x 5” and have ready.
• Dip the Rigid Wrap strip into the water bin and begin application to the Canopic Jar. Rigid Wrap strips should slightly overlap. Repeat the application process using two layers to create a strong sculpture. Using water on your fingers, smooth the rigid wrap well to create a smooth paintable surface. The above steps may take a couple class periods.
• Allow to dry overnight till next art period.
• Using a pencil, lightly draw your design plan for your Canopic jar onto the dried smooth surface.
• Paint using acrylic paints and paint pens or sharpies for details.
• Once Canopic jars are dry, spray with a protective acrylic spray.
Extending the Lesson:
• Using an air dry clay such as ACTÍVA Hearty Clay, students research and design a piece of Egyptian jewelry such as the scarab.
• Students may set up a mock museum display of various items which might have been found in a pharaoh’s tomb in the pyramids. Have the students lead small groups of younger students through the mock museum explaining the history of ancient Egypt.
Note for Parents:
Art Studio 6th Grade Egypt Project
When we return from break we will be working a project creating canopic jars.
The Canopic Jars were decorated with the heads of the four sons of Horus.
Each canopic jar guarded a different organ.
1. Imsety had a human head, protected the liver.
2. Qebehsenuf had the head of a falcon and guarded the intestines.
3. Hapy had a baboon head protected the lungs.
4. Duamatef had the head of a jackal, and guarded the stomach.
The four Canopic jars were put into a special chest, which went into the tomb with the mummy.
The process we will be using paper mache working with a container such as a drink mix, snack mix, or something cylindrical and made of a paper type material. Do not send anything as large as an oatmeal container. Please send an empty container with your student to school by (DATE). We will also be taking donations of sturdy cardboard.
Thank you for your partnership!