Which Egyptian god had the head of a jackal?
Quick answer
Anubis was the ancient Egyptian god with the head of a jackal (or a black dog). He was the god of mummification and embalming and the protector of tombs, who guided the souls of the dead into the afterlife. He’s best known for overseeing the weighing of the heart ceremony.
Key facts
- Role
- God of mummification, tombs and the afterlife journey
- Appearance
- A man with a jackal’s head, or a black jackal
- Egyptian name
- Inpu (Anpu)
- Main cult center
- Cynopolis (“city of dogs”)
Why a jackal?
Ancient Egyptians often saw jackals and wild dogs prowling around cemeteries at the edge of the desert, where they dug up shallow graves. Egyptians may have chosen a jackal god to protect the dead from the very animals that threatened them. Anubis is usually shown black, the color of the fertile Nile soil and of embalmed bodies, symbolizing rebirth, not evil.
God of mummification
Egyptian priests who prepared bodies for burial sometimes wore jackal masks to represent Anubis. Mummification preserved the body so the soul could return to it in the afterlife. Anubis was believed to have mummified Osiris, god of the dead, after his murder.
The weighing of the heart
According to the Book of the Dead:
- Anubis leads the dead person into the Hall of Two Truths.
- Their heart is placed on a scale against the feather of Ma’at, goddess of truth and justice.
- Thoth, the ibis-headed god of writing, records the result.
- If the heart is lighter or balanced, the person enters the afterlife paradise.
- If it’s heavy with wrongdoing, it’s eaten by Ammit, a monster that’s part crocodile, lion and hippo.
Other animal-headed Egyptian gods
| God | Animal | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Anubis | Jackal | Mummification, the dead |
| Horus | Falcon | Kingship, the sky |
| Thoth | Ibis or baboon | Writing, wisdom |
| Sobek | Crocodile | The Nile, power |
| Bastet | Cat | Home, protection |
| Ra | Falcon with sun disk | The sun |
Egyptians wrote on papyrus, including copies of the Book of the Dead; see what papyrus is. For Greek mythology, read who the goddess of wisdom was.
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