

In more recent years, Anubis has been found appearing in many different pop culture forms. The tradition, therefore, was to offer the god some of the parts of the deceased. Legends also said that when Osiris died, his organs were given to Anubis as a gift. For this reason, the priests working in the process of mummification would wear masks that showed a jackal’s face. This is why depictions of this god were seen so often displayed on the walls of tombs and in images showing funeral rites.Īccording to myth, he was instrumental in helping the goddess Isis to embalm Osiris, her husband. The main role of Anubis was to embalm the body, to guide the soul and to protect the tomb. Recommended Next: Don’t miss our guide to Egyptian tattoos next! Originally said to be Hesat and Ra’s son, in later years, he was reimagined as Osiris’ son. Recommended Article: Don’t forget to check out our post on helix piercings after this!įor centuries, Anubis was one of the most powerful and popular deities in Egypt, even while other religious beliefs and cults came and went. These depictions can be seen in modern form in an Egyptian jackal tattoo. The theory goes that a dog-like god could be evoked to control the canine scavengers, and Anubis was often depicted on royal tombs. Some archaeologists think that Anubis was a god inspired by real-world jackals who were known to dig up human bodies that hadn’t been buried sufficiently deep. Recommended: Don’t miss our guide to henna tattoo designs next.Īs one of ancient Egypt’s oldest gods, it was believed he invented mummification and was responsible for teaching it to the people.



Recommended Next: Take a look at our big guide to collar bone tattoos.Īnubis can be recognized by his human body and jackal head, which is why ink representations of him look a little like an Egyptian dog tattoo. While many people tend to think of gods of death as being evil, this certainly wasn’t the case with Anubis, who was actually a primary god responsible for keeping evil away from Egypt. If you’re considering these exciting Anubis tattoo ideas, you’ll need to know a little more about the history and background of this fascinating character from Egyptian mythology.Īnubis was the god of the underworld as well as the god who judged the dead by weighing their hearts to determine their worthiness to enter the afterlife.
