Anubis Statue, approximately 38cm, from Egypt. Anubis is a god of mummification, worshipped from a relatively early period in Egyptian history. He is depicted as a half-beast with the head of an African golden wolf, or as a wolf itself. This is because in ancient Egypt, the sight of dogs or wolves roaming around the tombs was thought to be them protecting the dead. His body was jet black, associated with the tar applied to the corpses during mummification for preservation. Egyptian Mythology Anubis was the son of Nephthys (a goddess also deeply connected to the dead and mummies), Set's wife and sister, who conceived him through an affair with her brother Osiris. Because he was the son of Osiris, whom Set hated, Nephthys hid him in a reed bed immediately after his birth. When Osiris was killed by Set, Anubis is said to have embalmed Osiris's body and made him a mummy. Therefore, Anubis was considered the supervisor of mummification, and the work was actually performed wearing an Anubis mask when making mummies or reciting prayers to guide the dead to the underworld. For this reason, he is also considered a god of medicine. He is also said to be very fast, in order to quickly transport the souls (Ba) of the dead to the underworld. Before Osiris became the king of the underworld, Aaru, Anubis ruled and managed the underworld. Even after Osiris became the king of the underworld, Anubis assisted him and used the Scales of Ra to weigh the sins of the dead, a scene depicted in the "Book of the Dead" and on the walls of tombs. ※Related Words Buddhist statue, shrine, temple, red seal, transom, antique, curio, Edo, wood carving, antique, retro, lacquerware, inkstone, calligraphy, Shinto, sake vessel, flower vase, folk craft, Buddhism, tea ceremony, matcha, teacup, natsume (tea caddy), tea container, Ko-Imari, Kutani, Shigaraki, Bizen, lacquered, hanging scroll, woodblock print, antique, old art, Chinese antiques, items from the past, excavated items, museum, ruins, Buddhist art, Meiji, Taisho, Showa retro, earthenware, antique