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Egyptians are generally recognized to practice detailed rituals at the time of burial. Among the various items used for performing rituals, the Canopic jar chests found a significant place. Many organs were removed from the corpse, prior to being mummified. These organs were kept in Canopic jars, which were again kept in a Canopic chest. This chest was then kept near the tomb in a sacred area known as the Canopic shrine.

In ancient days, the Egyptians believed that it was possible for the dead if they were willing, to return to the body. Hence, preserving the different organs was said to be essential. Mummification involved a detailed procedure, where in the organs needed to be removed and kept in the Canopic jars and then in the Canopic chest. It took many days for completion.

It was in the second Dynasty that using Canopic chests originated. Over the days the Canopic jar chests were modified every now and then depicting various kinds of designs. They were used until the beginning of the Ptolemaic period.

The tomb of Queen Meresankh III discovered at Giza is an evidence to indicate that it is among the oldest Canopic burials of the fourth Dynasty under the Menkaure rule. Similarly some other Canopic burials have been discovered in the tombs from the Sneferu rule.

Among the oldest Canopic jars, boxes made of wood were utilized to put the internal organs, and were fastened securely. Jars made from stone or potteries were also utilized in some burials. They were covered either with flattened or dome-like lids. The chests were made from soft stone. However, in some instances, they were created by shaping out the floor of the tomb or perhaps the wall of the tomb by cutting through them.

By the sixth Dynasty the Canopic jar chests were being made out of granite. By the 1700s a multitude of materials were used to make the chests including wood, cartonnage, limestone and calcite.

As centuries passed by, the Canopic jars used to place the organs were altered too. When they were first made, only stone was used and had lids which were flat. Later, they were altered to make dome-like lids.

Following this the Egyptians tried a number of different materials which they utilized to create the jars. These jars contained four organs which were the liver, the stomach, the lungs and the intestines. Each of these organs was connected with specific deities.

Through the centuries, alterations in making the Canopic jars were visualized in various ways. Some of the ideas were practically put to work, to produce a variety of Canopic jars. In several jars, the lids were made out of a sculpture of jackal heads. These jackal heads were symbolic of the four sons of Horus. Each of the organs was ascribed to one of the sons of Hours. These were further guarded by some other stronger Egyptian deity.