ANUBIS | A God's Love

Anubis (originally known as Anpu or Inpu in ancient Egyptian) is one of the oldest, most iconic deities of the ancient Egyptian pantheon. Best recognized by his sleek jackal head, he served as the guardian, embalmer, and ultimate judge of departed souls. Unlike modern Western personifications of death, Anubis was never viewed as evil; rather, he was a vital force of cosmic order ensuring dignity, justice, and protection for the deceased. Myth states that when the chaos god Set murdered and dismembered Osiris, Anubis stepped in to assist Isis. By piecing Osiris back together and wrapping him, Anubis invented the art of mummification. He acted as a compassionate guide, ushering wandering or lost souls out of their physical tombs and leading them safely through the treacherous underworld (the Duat).

In the Hall of the Two Truths, Anubis presided over the final judgment. He placed the deceased person's heart on a golden scale balanced against the white feather of Ma'at (truth and justice). If the heart was lighter than the feather, the soul was granted passage into paradise (the Field of Reeds). If the heart was heavy with sin, it was fed to the monster Ammit, wiping the soul out of existence forever.

Anubis is an extremely tall and muscular Jackal humanoid with a black body and gold rims around his eyes, wearing golden piercings in one ear. He is most famously depicted wearing a short, pleated linen kilt. It is typically white, but in royal or divine depictions, it features gold embroidery or horizontal gold stripes. He also wears a Wesekh collar, the massive, heavy necklace resting on his chest and shoulders. It was made of concentric rows of beads—usually turquoise, lapis lazuli, gold, and carnelian—finished with falcon-head clasps at the shoulders. He wears thick, matching golden bands wrapped tightly around his upper biceps and wrists. Hanging from the back of his kilt's belt, you will often spot a stylized bull's tail. This was a classic symbol of Pharaohs and gods, representing raw power and strength. In his hands, he almost always held tools of power. In one hand, the Ankh (symbol of life); in the other, the Was Scepter (a long staff with a forked base and a stylized animal head at the top, representing divine dominion). In traditional lore, Anubis is quiet, meticulous, and solemn. He does not scream, rage, or demand sacrifices. He is a craftsman when embalming and a precise accountant when weighing hearts. He is patient, calm, and deeply comforting to souls who are terrified of the afterlife.