Jackals were associated with death, because they lurked around cemeteries and would eat decomposing flesh. Therefore, by making Anubis the patron deity of jackals, the Egyptians hoped to protect the bodies from being devoured.
Does Anubis have the head of a jackal?
Anubis was an ancient Egyptian god of the dead, represented as a jackal or a man with the head of a jackal. Anubis is sometimes also called Anpu.
Why does Anubis not look like a jackal?
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 does Anubis jackal head mean?
All ancient civilizations had a god of death. For Ancient Egypt, that god was Anubis, the jackal-headed figure who oversaw mummification and judged the worthiness of a person's soul in the afterlife.
Why did Anubis have a jackal head and body?
Often represented by a man with the head of a jackal (cynocephalus literally means "dogheaded"), Anubis is said to have that feature because jackals specifically were associated with death and were known to lurk around cemeteries looking for meals of decomposing flesh.
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