Meet with us the Egyptian god Anubis, discover all his legends, the powers he controls and how he has influenced human history.
Who is Anubis?
Anubis was the original god of the dead, in Egyptian mythology. But as the god of the dead was worshipped by more followers, Osiris assumed his role while the god of the dead had a more direct role in guiding the souls of people who lost their lives, whether naturally or by tragedy.
Purpose
Known as the jackal god of mummification, he was responsible for making sure that the journey to the underworld went smoothly for man. He was considered the inventor of embalming and had several important functions.
First, he forgot the preservation of bodies. Embalming is not a simple job, he made sure it was done correctly. He also received each mummy and quickly performed the Opening of the Mouth ceremony and the ritual of conducting the soul into the Field of Heavenly Offerings.
He also oversaw the Scales of Truth, which protected the deceased from eternal death and deception. Many believed that Anubis would protect their tombs both physically and spiritually. The Egyptians believed that the bodies of the deceased needed to be preserved for the afterlife and Anubis played an important role in their beliefs.
Origins
Anubis became known during the third millennium BC as the god of the dead. He ruled the underworld and decided the fate of the deceased. As time passed, the daily responsibilities of the Egyptian god changed. Osiris took over ruling the underworld and directing those entering the afterlife, while Anubis became a more specialized god. He became a psychopath and guided the souls of the recently deceased to the underworld. He presided over the area between the living world and the underworld, ensuring that spirits were never left behind.
Mythology
As one of the most famous Egyptian gods, there are many stories surrounding Anubis. Here are a couple, one about his birth and the other about his role in Egyptian mythology.
The birth of Anubis
Anubis' mother was the goddess Nephthys. She tricked her brother Osiris into fathering the child. Her husband, Set, was furious about the affair and vowed to kill the child as soon as he was born. Nephthys did what she had to do to protect Anubis and hid him in swamps near the Nile River. Isis, Osiris' wife, found the baby and raised him as her own. Once Anubis grew up, he repaid Isis by protecting her.
Osiris took Anubis with him on many adventures. When Set murdered Osiris as revenge for having relations with his wife, he separated Osiris' body into several pieces and scattered them all over the earth. Anubis helped Isis find the pieces of the body and embalmed it so that it would not rot. This was the first act of embalming. He also performed the first Egyptian funeral rites on Osiris.
Other myths suggest that Set was the father of Anubis. Legend has it that Nephthys usurped the position of Isis. This version is sometimes accepted because of Set's dark side, which would go hand in hand with Anubis' responsibilities. Another version states that Anubis was the son of Ra and Nephthys. This was the first explanation, but it is now mostly accepted that Nephthys and Osiris were the biological parents of Anubis.
The roles of Anubis
Anubis had several roles as the god of death. He was the custodian of the scales, which gave him the power to decide the fate of souls. He weighed the heart of the deceased against the weight of a feather. The feather symbolized truth. If the scales tipped in favor of the heart, the person would be consumed by a female demon called Ammit. But if the scales tipped in favor of the feather, Anubis would take the deceased to Osiris so that they could enter heaven.
Anubis also oversaw embalming and mummification. His daughter, Kebechet, often assisted him during the mummification process. The ancient Egyptians covered the bodies of their dead with herbs and plants because they believed Anubis would smell the bodies before mummifying them. Anubis also performed the Opening of the Mouth ceremony, which would allow the deceased to speak and eat in the afterlife.
Another role of the Egyptian god can still be seen today. He was responsible for protecting the dead. Many prayers to the god have been found carved into tombs. This would eventually fall under the responsibilities of Osiris, but many believed that he still protected the dead after the transition of power.
Family
Anubis was the son of Osiris and Nephthys. His consort was Anput and together they had Kebechet and according to some myths, Ammut.
Appearance
In artistic representations, Anubis is depicted as half jackal and half man. He is usually holding the divine scepter. Sometimes he is shown as a black jackal or sometimes as a dog next to Isis. His symbol is often included in his paintings, a black and white oxide hide covered in blood hanging from a pole. Historians do not know the meaning of the symbol.
Symbology
There are many symbols associated with the god of the dead, more than most gods. First, as mentioned above, the rust skin hanging from the pole is his main symbol, although no one knows what it means. The other main symbol he is associated with is the jackal. Jackals are known to stay near tombs and graves, which is one of the reasons why the Egyptians started making tombs. It is important to mention that it is also associated with embalming equipment, as it is credited with inventing the technique.
