Thread: Ancient Egyptian Canopic Jars

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Thanks for the pic Winklesun. Nice job. Did you have any problems with the bread dough cracking? Any issues with bugs wanting to eat it? Also thanks Slaz for the pic. Those look really nice.

I went to Michaels today and the person there suggested something to me that was an air-dry clay except when I read the instructions it said it should dry at the same rate and with the interior being next to glass I don't think that will happen and want to avoid cracking like someone in another clay post had happen to them. I also looked at Celluclay which someone here suggested and that sounds like a possibility as it can mold to any surface and they say can be carveable for fine detailing. Didn't buy anything yet however.

I'm going to use Fimo clay for some amulet molds I bought off of Etsy last year. I think those will be much easier to do, but the canopic jars will probably get noticed more so I want take my time and hopefully have them turn out really nicely.

That other pic that was posted is a good one. Wish I would have had that for a reference when I did my jars!

I did have one that cracked a little but it hadn't been thick enough I think. The others are fine.
As for bugs... they were sealed well and then outside in the pyramid and it was probably too cold. ( If they are sealed well they should be okay anyways.)

DAAS airdry clay is maybe what they suggested at michaels? I've used it before for other projects and it works quite well. I've also used Celluclay but it won't give a smooth finish without a lot of fiddling around. It is more a glorified paper mache. I prefer DAAS.

What about making it and then putting it on the top of the container after it is dry?
You wouldn't have the problem then of the glass preventing it from drying properly.

Honestly, if it was me--
I'd get artist's gesso, the stuff painters use to prime canvas and masonite for painting. Next, get an acrylic paint the exact shade you want, a bone/ivory/sandstone/ sorta shade.

Don't mix the gesso and the paint. It takes practice to get the ratio right without ruining the gesso, so no need to bother with it for this.

First a thin layer of gesso, and let it dry.
Then a thicker layer. Once it's dry, lightly sand it smooth. The brush marks will go away, and bingo, a clay surface.

You could add some texture by lightly dragging a tiny brush horizontally all the way around it, all the way up, to create a slight potter's wheel effect if you want. I don't think that would work for this, but it's a handy trick to keep in mind if you use gesso for clay objects in the future.

Once this is dry, either give it a third coat (and carefully add the carved symbols in the damp gesso with a toothpick, rubber stamps, or what have you) and sand it again (watch out for the carved symbols) or go ahead with paint.

Paint it...

...and paint it again.


Don't put any sealants or finishers on it. Leave it rough.

Sculpt the lids from polymer or air-dry clay and paint them with the same acrylic paint.

Bingo. Canopic jars from glass vases.