LKS2 – Canopic Jars and Amulet making

The whole of Lower Key Stage 2 worked together today to complete a full mummification, including making a sarcophagus, a death mask, canopic jars, amulets, and all the organs to pull out of the mummy! In groups of 7 or 8, the children had to plan and delegate sub teams to focus on certain aspects of the mummification. They showed resilience and excellent teamwork in a day of hands on DT activities.

With Miss Evans, the children focused on making canopic jars and amulets. Canopic jars were used by the Egyptians to store the organs of the dead person. The children studied pictures of canopic jars and had to create 4 for their group, each one with a different shaped lid; a jackal, a baboon, a human head and a falcon. They used clay and instruments such as rolling pins and plastic cutters to shape the clay. They also used cocktail sticks to engrave the canopic jars with hieroglyphics. 

Then the children created some beautiful amulets – precious good luck charms that the Ancient Egyptians believed would help them to reach the afterlife. They were given an array of materials such as gems and coloured paper, and had to choose the ones they felt most appropriate for decorating their amulets. 

Throughout the day, children were learning the specific vocabulary associated with what they were doing. For example, names of gods such as Anubis, and the proper word for someone who carried out mummification – an embalmer. 

By the end of the day, each group had all the elements needed for a full mummification of an Ancient Egyptian. They fit 70 days’ work into just a few hours – what an achievement!