ANUBIS

Anubis (Ancient Egyptian: Inpw or Anpu) is one of the oldest and most iconic deities of ancient Egypt. His name likely means "Royal Child" or "He Who Decay," referring to the decomposition of the body.

Ancient Egyptian Name	𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱 (Inpw)
Phonetic Pronunciation	In-pu
Key Epithet	Tepy-Djwf ("He Who Is Upon His Mountain")
Cosmic Role	Embalming, Protection, Psychopomp

Before the rise of Osiris, Anubis was the principal god of the dead. His image of a jackal sitting atop a shrine guarded the entrances to the afterlife for millennia.

Anubis holds the title Khenty-Imentiu ("Foremost of the Westerners"), referring to his leadership over the dead in the West (the land of the setting sun). His roles were crucial for eternal survival:

• Guardian of the Necropolis: Protecting tombs from robbers and evil spirits.
• Master of Embalming: Overseeing the mummification process to ensure the body remains intact.
• Psychopomp: The guide who leads the soul from the tomb to the Hall of Judgment.

Anubis's parentage varies in different myths, reflecting his integration into the Osirian cycle:

Relation	Deity	Context
Father	Osiris	Most common tradition (illegitimate son)
Mother	Nephthys	Goddess of the Night
Foster Mother	Isis	Raised him as her own to protect him from Set
Alternative Father	Set	In earlier/local traditions

When Osiris was murdered by Set, Anubis played a pivotal role in his resurrection. He helped Isis and Nephthys recover the scattered body parts. Anubis then performed the first act of embalming, inventing the rituals of wrapping and preservation. By creating the first mummy, he established the protocol that would allow all humans to survive death.

Anubis is famously depicted as a black jackal or a man with a jackal's head. The color black is symbolic—it does not represent the animal's natural color, but rather:

• The color of rotting flesh (decomposition).
• The fertile black soil of the Nile (regeneration).
• The color of the resin used in mummification.

This duality signifies that out of death comes new life.

A mysterious symbol closely linked to Anubis is the Imiut Fetish. It consists of a headless animal skin (often a feline or bull) stuffed and hanging from a pole in a pot. Its meaning is debated, but it is believed to represent the embodiment of protection during embalming, transferring the god's power to the deceased. Two Imiut fetishes were found guarding the burial chamber of Tutankhamun.

Anubis was worshipped throughout Egypt, but his main cult center was Cynopolis ("City of the Dog") in Middle Egypt. His priests, known as "Overseers of the Mysteries," would wear jackal masks during funerary rituals to impersonate the god, physically enacting his role in preparing the body for eternity.

Originally the supreme god of the dead in the Old Kingdom, Anubis was gradually superseded by Osiris in the Middle Kingdom. However, he never lost his importance. He transitioned from being the King of the Dead to the Guardian of the Dead, a necessary guide without whom no one could reach Osiris's throne. This partnership lasted until the end of Pharaonic history.

Primary Role	God of Mummification & Funerary Rites
Sacred Animal	Jackal / African Golden Wolf
Key Symbol	Imiut Fetish, Scales of Justice
Main Cult Center	Cynopolis
Divine Function	Weighing the Heart