Anubis

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃢

Black jackal-headed guardian of embalmers, tombs and souls crossing the threshold

Anubis is the Greek form of Inpu, or Anpu, the black jackal-headed god who watches over the dead with care. A jackal god is attested from the First Dynasty. In early times he was lord of the dead, and as Osiris rose in prominence he settled into his lasting roles as embalmer and conductor of souls. Devotees turn to him for the care of the dead, the protection of tombs and cemeteries, and safe passage across the threshold. In the Weighing of the Heart he tends the golden scales.

His main cult centres were Cynopolis and Lycopolis, and he later travelled into Greek and Roman worship beside Isis, including as Hermanubis. The Egyptians saw him as a good, protective god, not a frightening one. Kemetic practitioners still honour him today, often by his Egyptian name, Anpu.

See the gallery

Papyrus of Hunefer, circa 1275 BCE. Wikimedia Commons (public domain), Hunefer

How to recognise Anubis

Jackal headLook for a long, pointed muzzle and tall, upright ears, which express the watchful attitude of the guardian of the necropolis.
Black colourHe is shown black because the colour stands for regeneration, the fertile Nile silt and the darkened skin of the embalmed body; real jackals are brown, and grey or white fur belongs to the related god Wepwawet.
Man's bodyHe most often has a man's body with the jackal head, standing upright and calm.
Royal dressA pleated shendyt kilt, a broad collar, armlets, bracelets and a tripartite wig, often with gilding at the eyes, ears and jewellery.
Ankh and staffHe often holds an ankh, the sign of life, and a staff that shows his authority.
Golden scaleIn judgment scenes he tends a balance with the heart on one side and the feather of Ma'at on the other, while ibis-headed Thoth records the result.
Recumbent jackalHe may also appear as a full black jackal lying on a shrine or chapel, with gilded ears, collar and scarf, as in the Anubis shrine from Tutankhamun's tomb.

Names and titles

Lord of the Hallowed GroundA title meaning protector of the necropolis
He Who Is in the Place of EmbalmingHis title Imy-ut, honouring his role as the first embalmer
Guardian of the ScalesIn the Book of the Dead he steadies the balance as a heart is weighed against the feather of Ma'at
Conductor of SoulsHis later role guiding the dead on their journey
Watcher on the ShrineAnubis as the black jackal lying on his chapel, guarding the necropolis