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Although the Greeks and Romans typically scorned Egyptian animal-headed gods as bizarre and primitive (Anubis was mockingly called "Barker" by the Greeks), Anubis was sometimes associated with [[Sirius]] in the heavens and Cerberus and Hades in the underworld. In his dialogues, Plato often has Socrates utter oaths "by the dog" (Greek: ''kai me ton kuna''), "by the dog of Egypt," and "by the dog, the god of the Egyptians," both for emphasis and to appeal to Anubis as an arbiter of truth in the underworld. | Although the Greeks and Romans typically scorned Egyptian animal-headed gods as bizarre and primitive (Anubis was mockingly called "Barker" by the Greeks), Anubis was sometimes associated with [[Sirius]] in the heavens and Cerberus and Hades in the underworld. In his dialogues, Plato often has Socrates utter oaths "by the dog" (Greek: ''kai me ton kuna''), "by the dog of Egypt," and "by the dog, the god of the Egyptians," both for emphasis and to appeal to Anubis as an arbiter of truth in the underworld. | ||
==Priests== | |||
Priests of Anubis were heavily involved in Egypt's embalming workshops. A male priest would have been present during the embalming process to read the spiritual rites while the physical embalming was occurring. Some of these priests (although not all) wore a wooden mask made in the likeness of Anubis when performing these rituals. | |||
Because anyone involved in the embalming process was connected spiritually to Anubis, there were many different designations for those who served him. | |||
* ''Hqa-nTr-inpw'' - High Priest of Anubis | |||
* ''wt inpw'' - Priest of Anubis | |||
* ''rmt-inpw'' - Priest Wearing Anubis Mask | |||
* ''xrpt'' - Priestess of Anubis | |||
* ''imy-r-wtw'' - Overseer of the Bandages | |||
* ''sHD-wtw'' - Inspector of the Bandages | |||
* ''wt(w)'' - Bandager | |||
==Roles== | ==Roles== | ||
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Anubis was a protector of graves and cemeteries. Several epithets attached to his name in Egyptian texts and inscriptions referred to that role. ''Khenty-Amentiu'', which means "foremost of the westerners" and was also the name of a different canine funerary god, alluded to his protecting function because the dead were usually buried on the west bank of the Nile. | Anubis was a protector of graves and cemeteries. Several epithets attached to his name in Egyptian texts and inscriptions referred to that role. ''Khenty-Amentiu'', which means "foremost of the westerners" and was also the name of a different canine funerary god, alluded to his protecting function because the dead were usually buried on the west bank of the Nile. | ||
The Jumilhac papyrus recounts another tale where Anubis protected the body of Osiris from Set. Set attempted to attack the body of Osiris by transforming himself into a leopard. Anubis stopped and subdued Set, however, and he branded Set's skin with a hot iron rod. Anubis then flayed Set and wore his skin as a warning against evil-doers who would desecrate the tombs of the dead. Priests who attended to the dead wore leopard skin in order to commemorate Anubis' victory over Set. The legend of Anubis branding the hide of Set in leopard form was used to explain how the leopard got its spots. | The Jumilhac papyrus recounts another tale where Anubis protected the body of [[Osiris]] from [[Set]]. Set attempted to attack the body of Osiris by transforming himself into a leopard. Anubis stopped and subdued Set, however, and he branded Set's skin with a hot iron rod. Anubis then flayed Set and wore his skin as a warning against evil-doers who would desecrate the tombs of the dead. Priests who attended to the dead wore leopard skin in order to commemorate Anubis' victory over Set. The legend of Anubis branding the hide of Set in leopard form was used to explain how the leopard got its spots. | ||
===Guide of souls=== | ===Guide of souls=== | ||
By the late pharaonic era (664–332 BC), Anubis was often depicted as guiding individuals across the threshold from the world of the living to the afterlife. Though a similar role was sometimes performed by the cow-headed Hathor, Anubis was more commonly chosen to fulfill that function. Greek writers from the Roman period of Egyptian history designated that role as that of "psychopomp" | By the late pharaonic era (664–332 BC), Anubis was often depicted as guiding individuals across the threshold from the world of the living to the afterlife. Though a similar role was sometimes performed by the cow-headed [[Hathor]], Anubis was more commonly chosen to fulfill that function. Greek writers from the Roman period of Egyptian history designated that role as that of "psychopomp," a Greek term meaning "guide of souls" that they used to refer to their own god Hermes, who also played that role in Greek religion. Funerary art from that period represents Anubis guiding either men or women dressed in Greek clothes into the presence of Osiris, who by then had long replaced Anubis as ruler of the underworld. | ||
===Weigher of hearts=== | ===Weigher of hearts=== | ||
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[[Category:Deities]] | [[Category:Deities]] | ||
[[Category:Egyptology]] | [[Category:Egyptology]] | ||
[[Category:Featured Articles]] | |||