Egyptian god of the dead, represented as a black jackal or dog,
or as a man with the head of a dog or jackal. His parents were usually
given as Ra in combination
with either Nephthys
or Isis.
After the early period of the Old Kingdom, he was superseded by Osiris
as god of the dead, being relegated to a supporting role as a god
of the funeral cult and of the care of the dead. The black colour
represented the colour of human corpses after they had undergone the
embalming process. In the Book of the Dead, he was depicted as presiding
over the weighing of the heart of the deceased in the Hall of the
Two Truths. In his role as psychopomp he was referred to as the "conductor
of souls".
The Greeks later identified him with their god Hermes, resulting
in the composite deity Hermanubis. His principal sanctuary was at
the necropolis in Memphis and in other cities. Anubis was also known
as Khenty- Imentiu - "chief of the westerners" - a reference
to the Egyptian belief that the realm of the dead lay to the west
in association with the setting sun, and to their custom of building
cemeteries on the west bank of the Nile.
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