Anubis
Anubis reigned over the realms of death, mummification, and the afterlife with solemn authority.
Often portrayed with the visage of an African golden wolf, Anubis commanded reverence as the guardian of cemeteries, tombs, and the mysterious Underworld. His presence embodied the solemnity and rituals surrounding death and embalming, serving as a guide for souls transitioning into the realm beyond.
Symbols: African golden wolf, flail, mummy gauze, fetish
Cult Centre: Cynopolis and Lycopolis
Parents: Nepthys and Set
Siblings: Wepwawet
Consort: Anput
Children: Kebechet
Greek equivalent: Hades or Hermes
Roman equivalent: Pluto or Mercury
Anubis was depicted in black, a color that symbolized regeneration, life, the soil of the Nile River and the discoloration of the corpse after embalming.
Changing Roles
Anubis’s esteemed role as guardian of the deceased and embalmer dates back to the earliest days of ancient Egyptian civilization, as evidenced by depictions from the First Dynasty. However, with the evolution of religious beliefs, particularly during the Middle Kingdom period, Anubis’s prominence in the role of the lord of the Underworld waned, making way for Osiris to assume this pivotal position.
Nonetheless, Anubis continued to play a crucial role in the journey of souls to the afterlife, serving as their guide and protector. One of his most significant duties was presiding over the Weighing of the Heart ceremony, a solemn ritual where the fate of the departed was determined by the balance of their heart against the feather of truth.
Weighing of the Heart Ceremony
Anubis’s pivotal role as the Guardian of the Scales is vividly portrayed in ancient Egyptian mythology, particularly in the Book of the Dead. In this symbolic depiction, Anubis presides over the weighing of the heart ceremony, a solemn ritual that determined the fate of the departed in the afterlife.
Holding the delicate balance between the heart of the deceased and the feather of Ma’at, the goddess of truth often depicted as an ostrich feather, Anubis meticulously judged the purity and righteousness of the soul. Should the heart prove lighter than the feather, symbolizing a life lived in accordance with truth and virtue, the soul was granted passage into the realm of the dead. However, a heart burdened with the weight of wrongdoing would be condemned to be devoured by Ammit, the fearsome devourer of souls.
Embalmer
Anubis played a crucial role in the Osiris myth, assisting Isis in the embalming process of Osiris after his murder by Set. According to the myth, Osiris’ organs were bestowed upon Anubis as a gift, establishing him as the patron deity of embalmers. Depictions from the Book of the Dead often portray a priest wearing a wolf mask, symbolizing Anubis, overseeing the mummification rituals and supporting the upright mummy.
2. The Anubis Shrine, c. 1336–1327 BC, from the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
3. The king with Anubis, c. 1323-1295 BC, from the Tomb of Haremhab. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
4. Statuette of Anubis, c. 332–30 BC. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
5. Recumbent Anubis, c. 664–30 BC, originally painted black. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
6. Lintel of Amenemhat I, c. 1981–1952 BC. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Digital Maps of the Ancient World 