Anubis: God of the Dead and the Old Kingdom's Underworld

People in ancient Egypt constantly theorized about what happened to the souls of the dead in the afterlife, with most of the afterlife theories revolved around a soul's journey through the underworld or Duat.

Ancient Egyptians believed the odyssey was filled with obstacles and challenges, so many prayed to Anubis, god of the underworld, for protection and guidance along the way.

Anubis is one of the most important gods in the Egyptian pantheon — not just for his service to mankind but also for his long tenure as a pillar of the religion from its earliest inception.

Anubis and Wepwawet

The "First of the Westerners" (with "westerners" being a reference to departed souls that would go toward the sunset) made his initial appearance on royal tomb walls during the First Dynasty (3150-2890 B.C.E.).

However, Anubis' origins likely predate these artistic renderings since the concept of the god likely stemmed from an earlier deity known as Wepwawet. These two gods are often confused since both are depicted in ancient Egyptian art as a man with a jackal head.

Anubis typically appears in black, whereas Wepwawet more often appears with grey or white fur.

Not the Only Ancient Egyptian God of Death

In early iterations of ancient Egyptian mythology, Anubis was the ruler of the underworld. However, sometime during the 24th century B.C.E., the Osiris myth took root and supplanted Anubis' supreme position in the Hall of the Dead.

In pre-Osiris myths of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Anubis was believed to be the son of Ra (the sun god) and Haset (the cow goddess). For the sake of continuity, the arrival of Osiris as the premier overseer of the afterlife forced a rewriting of Anubis' character into more of a supporting role (at least compared to other gods in the divine narrative).

Artistic renderings often show Anubis with his new father, Osiris, and scribe god Thoth conducting mummification rituals or weighing the hearts of the deceased to judge whether they would be worthy enough to enter eternal paradise (A'Aru).

3 Roles Anubis Played in Egyptian Mythology

Anubis is the most actively worshipped deity in ancient Egyptian death rituals. From the earliest days of the religion, he was respected as the god of the dead and the primary guide into the unknown.

Even with a minor demotion in later dynasties, many believed that his black canine face would be the first thing they saw in the next world.

1. Guiding Souls to the Afterlife

Anubis is known as the "lord of the sacred land" since he presided over the desert of the tombs.

Since it was tradition for deceased royals to be buried with their worldly belongings, this area was a literal goldmine for crafty raiders and looters. Anubis was tasked with protecting these tombs and ensuring that the deceased person's belongings would arrive in their next plane of existence.

As protector of the souls of the dead, Anubis was also tasked with helping new souls come to terms with their new situation.

One such first-day introduction was the "opening of the mouth" ritual, which restored in mummified bodies the earthly senses of sight, sound and taste so they could find their way through numerous trials in the underworld.

2. Supervising Mummification Rituals

Anubis is also known as "he who is in the place of embalming." This moniker stems from his primary focus on the deceased and how inseparable he was associated with funeral rites in ancient Egypt.

Afterlife preparation was an extensive process in this superstitious society, so Anubis believers held faith that the great Jackal god would ensure that priests followed the many steps and spells found in the Book of the Dead.

3. Weighing Hearts to Determine Fates

One of the most prestigious and sacred duties, "He who is upon his sacred mountain," performed for the Egyptians was the weighing of the heart in the Hall of Truth.

In this religious "final judgment" ceremony, it was believed that Anubis would place a human heart on golden scales with a white feather of purity on the other end.

If a soul passed this test, it proved that they had lived a noble life and were worthy of enjoying eternal salvation in an afterlife paradise.

Original article: Anubis: God of the Dead and the Old Kingdom's Underworld

Copyright © 2024 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company