Anubis: Egyptian Jackal-Headed Psychopop

The moonlight illuminates the necropolis as a lone man walks among the graves of the dead. He seems ever on alert, but also serene and in his element. Sometimes he just looks like a man in dark clothes and at certain angles, he looks like he is wearing a mask that resembled the head of a jackal. Later in the night, a pack of wild dogs, or possibly jackals (it’s hard to tell in the moonlight sometimes) wander through the graves, looking for fresh graves to dig up for food. Out of the shadows, a human sized jackal steps up to the pack and grows. The dogs run off in fear, their fearful cries echoing in the still night. In the blink of an eye, the man in the jackal mask stands by the grave and the large jackal is gone. The locals could be heard whispering that Anubis watched over the city of the dead and that their loved ones were safe.

So, who is Anubis? And why is he hanging out in cemeteries? Anubis is the jackal-headed god from the Old Kingdom (2686-2181 BCE) Egypt. He is all about the dead. First off, he is a psychopomp. He is responsible for seeing that the dead get to the afterlife they are to go to. But not only does he get your soul there, he helps decide your fate. Anubis is the one who weighs your heart to see which of three afterlives you earned. But that was the end of the job he did for the deceased. Anubis was also in charge of making sure that the deceased was properly embalmed and mummified before burial. He made sure the correct rituals were performed and that the deceased’s body was safe, even after burial. To honor him, his priest and funerary workers wore jackal-headed masks while they prepared a body for burial.

He was revered and feared in his time but also honored with respect. His parents were Osirus and Nephtys. His consort was Bastet, the Goddess of cats, pregnancy and childbirth. He is one of the oldest known Egyptian gods and is known as “a calm presence at the threshold between the worlds.”

He was worshiped originally in Egypt but his following spread to Rome and Greece in Ancient times. Among followers and recreationist of Egyptian religions, Anubis is still honored today.

Some notes and correspondence if you decide to honor him today.

Always call upon him with solemnity and respect. And he is a psychopomp, not an avenger or murder god.

His symbols are necropolises (cities of the dead), jackals, mummy gauze, the flail, golden scales, and keys.

Invoke him when you do ancestor work, you need protection during transitions in your life, you do dreamwork. He is magically associated with life balances, justice and rewards, judgement, protection, and canine issues.

His sacred colors are black, gold, and gray. He has an affinity for black stones, tigers eye, labradorite, and smoky quartz.

Herb and incense scents that are acceptable include: frankincense, sandalwood, cedarwood, cinnamon, poppy (can also be left on the altar as an offering), camphor, pine, palm, and myrrh.

If you do call upon Anubis, acceptable offerings can include black cloth, candles that are black and/or gold, cool/cold water, statues of him or statues of dogs, strong liquor, beer, bread, spicy foods, stars, keys, dark chocolate, gold objects, gold coins, and acts to honor your ancestors.