The earliest Canopic jars were simple, and carved from stone or formed with clay[pottery] with flat lids. In later periods the jars became more elaborate, and carved from either Calcite[Egyptian Alabaster] or Granite.The most common forms were 4 jars held within a chest, the chest also being carved from soft stone. These represent some of the most beautiful and elaborate artwork of Ancient Egypt.ign of canopic jars changed over time. The oldest date from the Eleventh or the Twelfth dynasty, and are made of stone or wood.[6] The last jars date from the New Kingdom. In the Old Kingdom the jars had plain lids, though by the First Intermediate Period jars with human heads (assumed to represent the dead) began to appear.[1] Sometimes the covers of the jars were modeled after (or painted to resemble) the head of Anubis, the god of death and embalming. By the late Eighteenth dynasty canopic jars had come to feature the four sons of Horus.[7] Many sets of jars survive from this period, in alabaster, aragonite, calcareous stone, and blue or green glazed porcelain.[6] The sons of Horus were also the gods of the cardinal compass points.[8] Each god was responsible for protecting a particular organ, and was himself protected by a companion goddess. They were:

Hapi, the baboon-headed god representing the north, whose jar contained the lungs and was protected by the goddess Nephthys
Duamutef, the jackal-headed god representing the east, whose jar contained the stomach and was protected by the goddess Neith
Imseti, the human-headed god representing the south, whose jar contained the