EgyptianBook of the Dead, as well as in funeral
text and tomb and coffin texts. Anubis was the
original god of the dead before Ausar’s reign.
During the reign of Ausar, he serves as an aid and
a helper. The scope and importance of his influence
is evidenced by his role in the resurrection of
Ausar. It was Anubis who judged Ausar’s worthi-
ness at death. He is depicted in some texts profess-
ing to be the protector of Ausar. Anubis used his
influence against time and decay when wrapping
Ausar’s body in his characteristic linens, which
were made by Auset and her twin sister, Nebt-het.
In this way, Ausar’s body would never decay.
As aid to Ausar in the underworld,
Anubis is often depicted in funerary text
assisting with the balancing of the heart
of the dead against the feather of Maat.
He presides over the questioning of the
dead in the affirmations of Maat by a tri-
bunal of 42 Gods in the Hall of Maati or
the Hall of Double Truths. Anubis bal-
ances the Tongue of Great Balance,
depicted as a scale, and received the
heart of the Dead. He relays the worthi-
ness of the Dead to Ausar, receives and
presents the symbols of the dead’s wor-
thiness, and acts as an intermediary
between the Dead and the gods.
However, he also protects, prepares, and
cares for the Dead on their journey in the
afterlife. Anubis is instrumental in the
preparation of the body of the dead and
preparing the dead for the trial of Maat.
During the embalming process, priests
of Anubis completing the funeral rites
would wear a Jackal headpiece. In this
way, they would become the embodiment
of Anubis as he was invoked and his pro-
tection sought. The worship of Anubis
can be traced back thousands of years; it
was long lasting and was introduced to
both Greece and Rome from Africa. In
Greece, the Kemetic name Anpu was
changed to Anubis.Later his name was
modified as it was combined with the
Greek GodHermes.The center of Anubis’
sect of worship was in Abydos. When
Ausar unseated Anubis as god of the Dead
and the afterlife, Abydos became the seat
of Ausar’s sect of worship.Characteristics
Anubis is depicted with the head of a Jackal and the
body of a man. He is shown on ancient papyrus in
coffin and tomb texts with a dark blue or black
Jackal’s head and brown limbs. However, when
Anubis is depicted in gold, he has golden limbs and
an onyx Jackal’s head adorned with gold. Anubis is
rarely depicted as solely human, but can be found
in full Jackal form more often. Later in his worship,
he was associated with the Dog deity; this can be
attributed to confusion between the Jackal and Dog
by foreigners and in foreign lands.62 Anubis
Egyptian statue, Anubis. Anubis was the guardian of the dead, who
greeted the souls in the Underworld and protected them on their
journey. Ancient art photographed in Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen,
Denmark.
Source: Hans Laubel/iStockphoto.