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One of the gods of ancient Egypt, this dog-headed deity ruled over the dead. According to legend, Anubis guarded cemeteries and made sure the dead were mummified correctly so they could find their way through the underworld. It was said that all people would eventually encounter Anubis-and the souls of the evil would be destroyed. Cults even sprang up to pay tribute to Anubis.

God of the Dead: Anubis had the body of a man with the head of a jackal. A real jackal's fur is golden, but the Egyptian god's was black to represent his rule over the dead and the dark underworld.

Keymaster: Anubis was frequently shown in paintings holding a staff that was topped with an "ankh." The ankh was the Egyptian symbol for life after death. Anubis used this ankh as a key to enter the underworld.

Final Judgement[]

Anubis Back Image

Anubis checked out mummies before they entered the underworld.

One of Anubis' primary duties as an Egyptian god was to guide the souls of the dead into the underworld. Before they could enter the realm of the dead, however, they had to pass a simple test. Anubis removed the dead person's heart and put it on one side of a scale. On the other side was the feather of ma'am, or truth. Underneath the scales, a crocodile-headed demon named Ammit waited for the judgement. If the heart weighed as much as the feather, the soul was allowed into the underworld. if the heart was the slightest bit heavier, Ammit devoured the dead person's soul.

Egyptian Reaper: Many Egyptians thought Anubis had the power to see through time and see the fate of all people. Some stories say Anubis appeared to those who were about to die, much as the Grim Reaper did in later European mythology.

Graveside Jackal[]

Many of the Egyptian gods have the head of animals, and there was often a connection between the animals and the god's duties. Anubis had the head of a jackal because jackals, which eat carrion, were usually found prowling through the cemeteries in Egypt; people then associated the animal with the dead.

Trading Card[]

Trivia[]

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