What type of stone are canopic jars often carved from?

Canopic jars were often carved from alabaster, especially the translucent stone known to Egyptologists as Egyptian alabaster or calcite. The material’s pale, softly glowing appearance made it well suited to high-status funerary equipment.

During mummification, Egyptians removed the liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines and preserved them separately. These organs were placed in four containers, traditionally protected by the Four Sons of Horus. Imsety guarded the liver, Hapy the lungs, Duamutef the stomach, and Qebehsenuef the intestines.

Alabaster was common, but it was not the only material used. Canopic jars could also be made from limestone, pottery, faience, or other stones, depending on the period and the owner’s resources. That variety is why “alabaster” is best understood as the standard quiz answer to “often carved from,” rather than a claim that every canopic jar used the same material. The term “canopic” itself was applied by later scholars and reflects a mistaken connection with Canopus.