Canopus

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Canopus

ancient city, Egypt

Also known as: Canobus, Kanopos, PeGewat

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Greek:: Kanopos

Related Topics:: temple

Related Places:: Egypt; ancient Egypt; Al-Iskandariyyah

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Canopus, ancient Egyptian city on the western coast of the Nile River delta, in Al-Iskandariyyah muḥāfaẓah (governorate). The Canopic branch of the Nile is entirely silted up, but on the shore about 2 miles (3 km) from Abū Qīr there are extensive remains, including the temple of the Greco-Egyptian god Serapis. Canopus was a center of the ointment industry and a pleasure resort for the people of Alexandria.

Osiris was worshipped at Canopus under the form of a human-headed vessel. The name canopic jars was therefore mistakenly applied by archaeologists to the jars with human and animal heads in which the viscera were placed by the ancient Egyptians after mummification.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Laura Etheredge.