Anubis
The Greek name Anubis arrived in Egypt around the 7th century BC, replacing the ancient Egyptian term Inpu. Before that date, priests and scribes used the root word inp to mean decay within their language. The sound signs i-n:p-w formed the standard hieroglyphic writing during the Old Kingdom period. A jackal figure perched atop a tall stand appeared in late Old Kingdom inscriptions as a new form of his name. Ancient texts listed titles such as First of the Westerners or He Who is Upon his Sacred Mountain to describe his status. Scholars trace the pronunciation jnpw back to Coptic records and Akkadian transcriptions found in Amarna letter EA 315. This linguistic evolution reflects how the god's identity shifted from a local protector to a universal guide across millennia.
Stone inscriptions from the reigns of Hor-Aha and Djer depict a full animal jackal god during Egypt's Early Dynastic period. Scavengers like wild dogs had long been associated with cemeteries because they dug up shallow graves in Predynastic times. The community chose this animal to protect the dead through a concept known as fighting like with like. By the Middle Kingdom between 2000 and 1700 BC, Osiris replaced Anubis as the primary lord of the underworld. Tomb paintings from the Roman era starting in 30 BC show him holding hands to guide deceased persons toward Osiris. Historians note that parentage varied widely, sometimes listing Ra as father or Nephthys as mother depending on the text source. The Coffin Texts written c. 2181, 2055 BC described him as the son of Hesat or Bastet rather than Osiris. Later traditions claimed he was the illegitimate son of Nephthys adopted by Isis according to Plutarch writing c. 40, 120 AD.
The Ptolemaic period spanning 350 to 30 BC saw Egypt ruled by Greek pharaohs who merged Anubis with Hermes into Hermanubis. Cynopolis served as the cult center for this fusion, a place whose name translates to city of dogs in Greek. Apuleius wrote about continued worship of this combined deity in Rome during at least the 2nd century AD. Greeks often mocked animal-headed gods as bizarre yet Plato had Socrates swear oaths by the dog of Egypt in dialogues like Gorgias and The Republic. This syncretism allowed Egyptian beliefs to survive within Hellenistic culture while retaining their core function of guiding souls. Alchemical literature from the Middle Ages referenced Hermanubis alongside hermetical texts that preserved his influence. The pairing worked because both figures guided souls to the afterlife, creating a bridge between two distinct religious systems.
Priests wore leopard skins to commemorate Anubis's victory over Set when the god branded the enemy's hide with a hot iron rod. The Jumilhac papyrus recounts how Anubis stopped Set from attacking Osiris's body after the murder occurred. Embalmers called him He Who is in the Place of Embalming or jmy-wt during mummification ceremonies. Illustrations from the Book of the Dead show wolf-masked priests supporting upright mummies throughout the rites. A jackal god likely named Anubis appeared on stone inscriptions from the First Dynasty reigns of Hor-Aha and Djer. Priests who attended the dead sported wood masks bearing the god's likeness during rituals performed at Cynopolis. Memorials dedicated to him were built everywhere across the nation despite the lack of major myths involving him directly.
Black coloration symbolized regeneration and life rather than representing the actual fur of an African jackal. This hue also reflected the discolouration of corpses treated with natron and resinous substances during mummification. The fertile silt of the Nile River was black, so Egyptians linked the color to fertility and rebirth possibilities. Early dynastic art depicted him as a fully animal form before Middle Kingdom artists shifted to human bodies with jackal heads. Ramesses II temple in Abydos contains an extremely rare chapel showing him in fully humanoid form. New Kingdom tomb-seals depict him sitting atop nine bows that symbolize domination over Egypt's enemies. He often held a gold scale while wearing a ribbon and carrying a flail known as nkh3h3 in his arm crook.
Funerary texts show Anubis manipulating scales under the scrutiny of Thoth during the weighing of the heart ritual. Souls heavier than an ostrich feather would be devoured by Ammit while lighter souls ascended to heavenly existence. The Book of the Dead depicts this critical scene determining whether a person entered the realm of Duat. Anubis acted as Guardian of the Scales to dictate the fate of every soul passing through judgment. Greek writers from the Roman period called this role psychopomp meaning guide of souls for their own god Hermes. Art from the late pharaonic era between 664 and 332 BC shows him guiding individuals across the threshold from living to dead worlds. This function became more common than Hathor's similar role despite both deities performing comparable duties.
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Common questions
When did the Greek name Anubis arrive in Egypt?
The Greek name Anubis arrived in Egypt around the 7th century BC. Before that date, priests and scribes used the root word inp to mean decay within their language.
Who were the parents of Anubis according to different ancient texts?
Historians note that parentage varied widely, sometimes listing Ra as father or Nephthys as mother depending on the text source. The Coffin Texts written c. 2181, 2055 BC described him as the son of Hesat or Bastet rather than Osiris. Later traditions claimed he was the illegitimate son of Nephthys adopted by Isis according to Plutarch writing c. 40, 120 AD.
What is the significance of the black coloration of Anubis?
Black coloration symbolized regeneration and life rather than representing the actual fur of an African jackal. This hue also reflected the discolouration of corpses treated with natron and resinous substances during mummification. The fertile silt of the Nile River was black, so Egyptians linked the color to fertility and rebirth possibilities.
How did Greeks merge Anubis with Hermes during the Ptolemaic period?
The Ptolemaic period spanning 350 to 30 BC saw Egypt ruled by Greek pharaohs who merged Anubis with Hermes into Hermanubis. Cynopolis served as the cult center for this fusion, a place whose name translates to city of dogs in Greek. Apuleius wrote about continued worship of this combined deity in Rome during at least the 2nd century AD.
When did Osiris replace Anubis as the primary lord of the underworld?
By the Middle Kingdom between 2000 and 1700 BC, Osiris replaced Anubis as the primary lord of the underworld. Tomb paintings from the Roman era starting in 30 BC show him holding hands to guide deceased persons toward Osiris.