Anubis (Egyptian Inp.w, "Jackal")

ANUBI (Egypt. inp.vo “jackal”). - It is the jackal, often confused with the bellicose wolf of Asjut, which the Greeks believed to be a dog, whence the name Kynopolis given to the city of Kase (present-day el-Qeis), sacred to his cult and metropolis of the 17th nome. He is depicted lying down in an attitude of repose. The god was also worshipped at Eliopoli and at Asjut; at Rifa he bore the title “lord of the opening of the cave.” He is a god of the dead; the Greeks assimilated him to Ermete Psicopompo, and he received the name Ermanūbi. He was placed over certain necropolises, but his cult later spread throughout Egypt. When the Osirian myth took shape, he became part of it as the one who embalmed the corpse of Osiride. In the judgment of the dead he weighs hearts on the scales. He is sometimes called the brother of Osiride, sometimes his son and the son of Rie (Rā) or of Sēth. It was he who, by his scent, helped Iside to find the body of Osiride and embalmed it, thus preventing its destruction: therefore souls pray to A. to take care of their bodies.