Anubis, God of the Dead

ancient Egypt · mythology · afterlife · jackals

Guardian of Tombs. Anubis was believed to protect graves and mummies from thieves and damage. Ancient Egyptians trusted him to keep their loved ones safe for the journey to the afterlife.

Black as Night. Anubis was always shown with black or dark skin, which represented the color of dead bodies and the darkness of the tomb. His dark color was a symbol of death and protection.

God of Mummification. Priests who prepared dead bodies for burial wore jackal masks to become like Anubis during the mummification process. They believed this connected them to the god's power over death and the afterlife.

Weigher of Hearts. Egyptians believed Anubis supervised the weighing of hearts in the afterlife to judge if a person had lived a good life. This was one of the most important moments in their journey to the next world.

Very Ancient God. Anubis was one of the oldest gods in Egypt, worshipped for thousands of years even before the famous pyramids were built. He stayed popular because death and the afterlife mattered greatly to every Egyptian.