Anubis the god with the Jackal Head
Anubis was the Egyptian god of the dead, depicted with the black head of a jackal or dog. Many Egyptian gods were perceived as 'human hybrids' depicted with human bodies with the heads of animals. The ancient Egyptians did not worship animals - the depiction of a god as an animal was a device to visually convey the identity, qualities and attributes of the god. Egyptian Gods, like Anubis, were always depicted as young & healthy.
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Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead, featured in many of the stories, myths and legends in Egyptian Mythology. A major source of information about the ancient Egyptian view of the Underworld was found in an extensive ancient papyrus, called the Book of the Dead. This 'book' was commissioned by an scribe called Ani and depicts the dangers and a vision of the Underworld. The purpose of creating the Book of the Dead was to prepare Ani and his wife for the ordeals they would encounter with the correct responses to questions they would be asked by the gods. It was an ancient survival guidebook which contained magical spells and instructions to ensure safe passage through the dangers of the Underworld. The journey through the Underworld, guided by Anubis, culminates in the ceremony of justification in the Hall of the Two Truths witnessed by Osiris and 42 judge deities. The heart was weighed on a set of scales against the feather of truth and their fate would be decided - either entrance into the perfect afterlife or to be sent to the Devourer of the Dead. Additional facts and information are detailed in the Concept of the soul, the Ka and Ba.
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The Imiut fetish, or Anubis fetish, was present in ancient Egyptian funerary rites. A fetish was object that was believed to embody the magical powers of a particular spirit, in this instance Anubis, and used to create a bond between the mortal world and supernatural realm of the Underworld.
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A fetish represented the spirit to it's owner and acted as a means of protection on a journey, like an amulet or talisman. The Imiut fetish, took the form of a stuffed, headless animal skin which was tied by the tail to a pole that terminated in a lotus bud. Beautiful, stylised versions of the Imiut fetish were also created for pharaohs or wealthy Egyptians in gold. The fetish was positioned on a stand which was placed in the tomb of the deceased. Fantastic golden Imiut fetishes were discovered in the tombs of Tutankhamen and Hatshepsut.
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Anubis was depicted with the black head of the jackal even though real jackals are typically brown. The black jackal head of this jackal-god was characterized by its long, alert ears and a pointed muzzle. The color black was highly significant as it was a symbol of death, the color of rotting flesh, and symbolized the Underworld and the night.
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Black was also associated with the black soil of the Nile valley and as such also symbolized rebirth. There are many theories as to why the jackal was associated with Anubis. Some say it is because jackals were known to frequent the edges of the desert, near the cemeteries where the dead were buried. The first tombs were built to keep wild animals, like jackals, from desecrating the dead.
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