FACTS & FUN. The Egyptian jackal, which may have been the inspiration for the god Anubis, is actually not a jackal at all but a wolf! Originally classified as a type of golden jackal, genetic research has shown that this animal is, in fact, close kin to the European and North American gray wolf.
What animal was Anubis?
Egyptian civilization - Gods and goddesses - Anubis. Anubis was a jackal-headed deity who presided over the embalming process and accompanied dead kings in the afterworld.
What Egyptian god is a wolf?
Wepwawet (Upuaut, Wep-wawet, and Ophois) was an ancient wolf god whose worship originated in Upper Egypt. He was one of the earliest of the gods to be worshipped at Abydos, possibly predating (and absorbing) Khentyamentiu (another god of the Abydos necropolis).
Is Anubis a dog or fox?
In Egypt's Early Dynastic period (c. 3100 – c. 2686 BC), Anubis was portrayed in full animal form, with a "jackal" head and body. A jackal god, probably Anubis, is depicted in stone inscriptions from the reigns of Hor-Aha, Djer, and other pharaohs of the First Dynasty.
Did Egypt have wolves?
The scientific consensus was that Egypt had no wolves, and that the ancient texts of Herodotus, Aristotle, and others must have referred to jackals. The Ethiopian wolf, a rare species, was until recently the only recognized wolf in Africa.
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