Tissue identification and histologic findings in four specimens from Egyptian canopic jars

Abstract

Canopic jars content represents a relatively rare material, with few studies available. Object of our study were dehydrated fragments found in four canopic jars from the Egyptian Museum of Florence, belonging to a single, anonimous individual of the New Kingdom. Tissue samples were embedded in agar to prevent fragmentation and rehydrated with Sandison solution for 2-5 days. Rehydrated samples were post-fixed in 10% buffered formalin, routinely processed and paraffin embedded to obtain sections stained with different methods. Two specimens showed histological features of lung with multifocal deposition of anthracotic pigment and small polarizable crystals, allowing the diagnosis of pulmonary silico-anthracosis. The histologic study of the other two samples was unsatisfactory: attached on the slides remained only small amorphous fragments, containing birefringent fibers, probably related to the linen packets wrapping the organs. Such findings confirm that histological methods may provide useful results even with material obtained from canopic jars.