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Anubis, whose hieroglyphic name
more closely translates as Anpu or Inepu, is the Ancient Egyptian god of death
and dying, and sometimes god of the underworld.
He has the head of a jackal or some other kind of dog, and the jackal is his
symbol. The jackal imagery is related to Anubis' role among the deities of
Egypt, as the jackal is a scavenger and is strongly associated with death and
dying. He was also know as the Guardian of the Dead. In art, he is depicted as
a black man with a canine head and alert ears, often wearing a ribbon and
wielding a whip. The black color is not a natural but is thought to be a
symbolic color representing death and rebirth as well as the effect that
netron and other resins used in mummification turn the body.
Sometimes he is depicted with one half of his head gold and one half black to
show that he is most divine and in touch with the earth.
Roles in mythology
Anubis was originally the lord of the underworld, however following the rise
of the cult of Osiris he becomes the gatekeeper. In the Horus story he stands
down his position out of respect for Osiris in order to allow him to take
over.
Anubis' role as gate keeper was primarily that of either holding or watching
the scales with which the souls of the dead were weighted against the feather
of Ma'at. If the soul was as light as the feather, Anubis led the soul to
Osiris; otherwise, it was fed to Ammit.
He guards the physical remains of bodies, as well as the tombs and necropoli.
Worship of Anubis is likely older even than that of Osiris. The Unas text
(line 70) associates him with the Eye of Horus. In the Book of the Dead, he
embalms the body of Osiris, wraps it in linens made by Isis and Nepthys, and
protects the body by laying his bare hands on it.
More information:
TourEgypt.net
Source:
Wikipedia
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