Anubis

Nationality/Culture

Egyptian

Pronunciation

uh-NOO-bis

Alternate Names

Anpu, Hermanubis

Appears In

The Book of the Dead

Lineage

Son of Nephthys and Osiris

Character Overview

In the early days of ancient Egypt, Anubis (pronounced uh-NOO-bis), also known as Anpu, was the god of the dead. Later, when Osiris (pronounced oh-SYE-ris) took over this role, Anubis became the god who oversaw funerals. He was also the guardian of the underworld , or land of the dead, where he took the dead to the hall of judgment. Here he helped weigh each person's heart against the feather of truth before presenting the soul to Osiris.

Major Myths

Anubis was the son of the goddess Nephthys (pronounced NEF-this), who had tricked her brother Osiris into fathering her child. The goddess's husband, Set , hated Osiris and planned to murder the child when he was born. Nephthys therefore decided to abandon the infant at birth. She hid him in the marshes by the Nile River where he was found by Isis (pronounced EYE-sis), the wife of Osiris. Isis raised Anubis, and when he reached adulthood, he repaid her by becoming her protector. Later, when Osiris set out to conquer the world, Anubis accompanied him. Osiris was murdered by his old enemy Set, who tore his body to pieces. Anubis helped find the pieces of Osiris's body and embalmed them, or preserved them so well that they never decayed. Because of his actions, Anubis is said to have performed the first Egyptian burial rites and to have introduced the practice of embalming the dead to Egyptian culture. The Greeks and the Romans also worshipped Anubis, whose name is actually the Greek form of the Egyptian name Anpu. Anubis was frequently merged with the similar Greek god Hermes (pronounced HUR-meez) and given the name Hermanubis.

Anubis in Context

Ancient Egyptians were experts at the practice of embalming, which involves preserving the remains of the dead so they last through the funeral or burial and beyond. The Egyptians developed an embalming process known as mummification in which a dead body is wrapped in strips of cloth and dried out for preservation. Ancient Egyptians believed that a person's body was still needed after death, since it transported the soul to the afterlife. For this reason, Anubis played a crucial role in the way ancient Egyptians dealt with death and the dead.

Key Themes and Symbols

Anubis is primarily associated with death and the dying. Images of Anubis depict him as a jackal, a type ofwild dog, or as a man with the head of a jackal. Jackals prowled Egyptian cemeteries at night, looking for food and even eating corpses. The Egyptians believed that Anubis, in the form of a jackal, would keep real jackals away and protect the dead. In this way, Anubis represents a guardian and caretaker for Egyptians after they have died.

Anubis in Art, Literature, and Everyday Life

The image of Anubis appears on many ancient Egyptian tombs. In fact, the distinctive jackal-headed figure is one of the symbols most commonly identified with ancient Egypt. More recently, Anubis has appeared as a character in the television show Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007).

Read, Write, Think, Discuss

Even though Anubis is considered a god of death and the guardian of the underworld, ancient Egyptians viewed him as a protector and guide. What does this suggest about the ancient Egyptian view of death and the afterlife? How do you think this is different from, or similar to, modern views on death?

SEE ALSO Egyptian Mythology; Isis; Osiris; Set