Paper Mache Egyptian Canopic Jars
Bring ancient Egypt to life with this hands-on art project for kids. These paper maché Egyptian canopic jars are a creative way to introduce children to history, symbolism, and ancient burial traditions. They make a fun classroom activity for an Egypt unit, a homeschool history lesson, or a World Thinking Day project.
Kids can study traditional canopic jar designs or create their own inspired versions using animal heads, painted details, and simple hieroglyphic-style decorations. This is a memorable craft that blends art, history, and imagination.
Fun Facts
✅Canopic jars were used in ancient Egypt during the mummification process.
✅They were made to hold and protect internal organs.
✅Many canopic jars had lids shaped like heads connected to Egyptian gods.
✅These jars were often placed in tombs along with other important burial items.
Supplies
- Pringles cans, one per student
- Pringles lids
- Newspaper, torn or cut into strips
- Masking tape
- White school glue, wheat paste, or flour paste
- Acrylic paint or tempera paint
- Paint brushes
- Bowls for paste
- Spoons for mixing
- Reference pictures of Egyptian canopic jars
Instructions
- Begin by giving each student a clean Pringles can and lid. Remove the lid and set it aside.
- Cut or tear newspaper into strips for covering the cans.
- Prepare the paper maché paste in small bowls. You can use white glue thinned with a little water, wheat paste, or a homemade flour paste.
- Create a head for the lid using crumpled newspaper and masking tape. Students can research traditional canopic jar heads or design an animal head of their own. Remind them not to attach the lid permanently to the can.
- Cover the outside of the can with newspaper strips dipped in paste. Smooth the strips as you go to build an even layer.
- Cover the sculpted head on the lid with paper maché as well. Be careful not to seal the lid onto the can.
- Set the jars aside and allow them to dry completely. Depending on the thickness of the layers, drying may take a day or more.
- Once dry, paint the jars. Students can use gold, black, tan, blue, and other Egyptian-inspired colors. They can also add simple patterns or draw hieroglyphic-style symbols to make the jars look more authentic.
- Let the paint dry fully before displaying the finished jars.
Paper Maché Recipe
Mix 1 part flour with 1 part water in a bowl until it forms a thick, smooth paste. Stir well to remove lumps. Add a little more water if the mixture seems too thick.
This simple recipe works well for easy crafts for kids and classroom activities, especially when making paper maché projects like these Egyptian canopic jars.
Patterns, Templates and Printables
Use photo references of real canopic jars to inspire painting and lid designs.
Students may also sketch their jar design on paper before building to help plan colors, symbols, and animal head shapes.
Teacher Friendly Educational Extension
This is an excellent classroom activity for an ancient Egypt unit. Invite students to research the purpose of canopic jars and the role they played in mummification. They can compare real historical designs and discuss why certain animals and symbols were important in Egyptian culture.
You can also extend the lesson with writing prompts. Ask students to imagine they are archaeologists discovering a canopic jar in a tomb. Have them write a short journal entry about what they found and what it might tell them about ancient Egyptian life.
For an art connection, students can design a name tag for their jar using hand-drawn hieroglyphic symbols. This adds a fun cross-curricular element and gives the project extra educational value.
