Ancient Egyptian organ jar loaned to Teesside schools in museum first

It was the first time the ancient artefact had been loaned to a school

An ancient Egyptian jar used in the mummification process has been loaned to schools in a pioneering pilot to take artefacts into classrooms.

St Joseph's RC Primary, Middlesbrough, and Billingham South Community Primary were chosen for the British Museum and Middlesbrough Museums project.

The aim is to allow relics to be taken to communities that are not in major cities to improve cultural experiences.

Museums manager JR Bowes called it a "great honour" to pilot the project.

The schools had requested archaeological artefacts to help create exhibitions.

The ancient Egyptian artefact is currently on display at Middlesbrough's Dorman Museum

A canopic jar, once used to store body organs, was displayed alongside work by the children as part of the event called British Museum in your classroom.

Each jar was used to store a different organ from the body - the liver, kidney, lungs and stomach.

Hundreds of years ago someone muddled up the jar and its lid, which was only discovered by the British Museum when youngsters at Billingham South chose it to come to their school.

The children were also able to get advice about how to set up their exhibition from an expert.

The event was held on Wednesday and the jar has since been returned to the Dorman Museum in Middlesbrough, where it is on display alongside other artefacts, until 26 February.

Children got a close-up view of the canopic jar at their school

Hartwig Fischer, British Museum director who attended the launch at St Joseph's RC Primary, said it was of "paramount importance" to be able to share its collections, as part of its remit to be accessible to as many people in the UK.