Anubis - The Egyptian God of Death | Pantheon Mythology

Thousands of years ago, the Egyptians worshipped a god known as Anubis. He was the god of death and resurrection and is depicted with the head of a jackal. Anubis played a vital role in the afterlife of ancient Egyptians and his story is one that is full of mystery and intrigue. Hello and welcome to Pantheon Mythology. In today's video, we'll be exploring the story of Anubis and learning more about this fascinating Egyptian deity. But before we continue, please like and subscribe to this channel to help the channel grow. Anubis is one of the most popular gods in ancient Egypt. He was revered as the god of funerals, mummification, embalming, cemeteries and tombs. He is also known as Anpu or Inpu, with his name meaning to decay. Widely identified as the son of Nephthys and Osiris, Anubis had a jackal head, leading to some referring to him as the jackal god or even the dog-headed god. As the god of funeral rites and embalming, Anubis was responsible for making sure the souls of the deceased were rushed into the afterlife should it be justified. Before ascending to godhood, Anubis was a mortal prince. His mother Nephthys wifed Aset, tricked Osiris into sleeping with her, which led her to fall pregnant. When Anubis was born, she abandoned the baby in the desert to be found by Isis, who raised him as her own. As he grew older, Anubis became a skilled embalmer. He helped Isis mummify his biological father Osiris after he was killed by Aset. Thus, when Osiris was resurrected, he made Anubis the god of embalming and the dead. Anubis is commonly depicted as a man with the head of a jackal, and often shown to be holding the Ankh, which is the symbol of life. A very important god in the Egyptian pantheon, he is one of the few gods who was worshipped by both the living and the dead, believed to guide the souls of the dead to the underworld. He is also the patron god of embalmers and tomb builders. The jackal was a sacred animal to the Egyptians. They believed that it represented death and decay, but they also believed that it could guide the dead to the afterlife. Therefore, this became the deity's most prominent feature. Just like the jackal would dig up dead bodies, Anubis would dig up the secrets of a person's heart during the weighing of the heart ceremony. This ceremony was part of the ancient Egyptian funerary rites. After a person died, Anubis weighed their heart against a feather. If the heart was heavier than the feather, it meant that the person had done something bad during their lifetime and rejected from the afterlife. If the heart was lighter than the feather, it meant that the person had led a good life and would be allowed to go to paradise. Anubis would tie a thread around the wrist of the corpse. The thread was attached to a boat that would carry the soul to paradise. It is said that Anubis would attach a sandal to the other wrist. This is because sandals were an important part of ancient Egyptian culture. It was considered very disrespectful to show someone the bottom of your feet. Anubis helps the dead by embalming them. Embalming is the process of preserving a dead body to prevent decomposition. During embalming, the organs of the dead body are removed, and the body is washed with special herbs. The body is then placed in a special container known as a sarcophagus, then moved into a tomb. Anubis would be present at the funeral, which is where he would lead the soul to the underworld. Greek historian Plutarch is perhaps the most famous source of information about Anubis' origin. Osiris was killed by his brother Set, and Isis set out in search of the body of her dead brother. This search led her to learn that her sister Nephthys had conceived a child with Osiris. Fearing that her husband Set would discover her infidelity, Nephthys abandoned the newborn child. Isis, known for her maternal benevolence, found the child and adopted him, named him Anubis, and thereafter served as his adopted mother. Set, upon discovering of the affair, flew into a rage and murdered Osiris, cutting his body into pieces and throwing it in the River Nile. The body, however, was recovered, and Anubis got to work with the embalming process. Although Set had killed Osiris, he still needed to destroy his brother's body in order to defeat him completely. In the wake of the recovery of Osiris' body, Set planned to steal it back and annihilate it. The body of Osiris was entombed in the Wobbit, a place where mummification rites took place. As Set observed Anubis leaving the Wobbit each night, he devised a plan. Transforming himself into Anubis, he stole Osiris' body by slipping past unsuspecting guards. Set would not be able to make it far, however, before Anubis discovered the theft and set out in pursuit. In an attempt to ward off his pursuer, Set turned himself into a bull. The jackal god was not intimidated, however. Upon capturing Set, Anubis castrated him and imprisoned him in Saqqa, the 17th gnome of Egypt. Not one to be deterred, Set escaped his imprisonment and continued his mission. This time, Set attempted to steal his brother's body in the form of a great cat. The plan failed and Anubis caught him once more. The jackal-headed god punished Set by branding him with hot irons. This myth thus explained how leopards became spotted. Ever persistent, Set continued to try to steal Osiris' body back. Again he turned himself into Anubis and again he was caught. Set was forced to serve as Osiris' throne for all eternity. That is, until he escaped. Set's next attempt would be his last. After catching Set yet again, Anubis killed him, flaying his skin and setting his body aflame. After donning the flayed skin, Anubis snuck into Set's camp and decapitated his entire army with a single slash of his sword. Anubis became popular in the Western world after emerging in video games, movies and TV shows. In the video game Assassin's Creed Origins, Anubis appears as an epic boss battle. He is also seen in the movie The Mummy as a god who resurrected Imhotep. In the TV show Supernatural, Anubis is seen as the judge of the dead. He decides whether a person goes to heaven or to hell. Anubis is perhaps the most iconic of Egyptian gods due to his importance to Egyptian culture. He helped them embalm their dead and guide their souls to the afterlife, also helping them remember their dead relatives. What are your thoughts on Anubis? Let us know in the comment section below and if you enjoyed this video please like, subscribe and share. And if you love mythology, chances are you do if you're here. Why not check out our clothing brand, Pantheon Apparel? 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