In ancient Egypt, stone or pottery  jars used to protect four major organs of the body (lungs, stomach, intestines, liver). Canopic jars containing the organs were entombed with the mummified body of the deceased. The jar lids were sculpted to represent the four sons of the god Horus, each of whom was responsible for guarding one of the organs. Web resource here.

Set of Four Canopic Jars. Painted limestone. Ca. 900-800 BCE. Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.