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Neferchichi's
Tomb
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ANUBIS
Role: God of mummification Appearance: Jackal or a jackal-headed man Sacred animals: jackal Relations with other gods: Nephthys (mother), Set (father) Anubis was worshipped widely throughout Egypt. In one myth, Anubis restored eternal life to Osiris so he could go on to rule the world of the dead. As the god of mummification, Anubis was believed to watch over the process to make sure it was done correctly. The chief embalmer would wear a mask of Anubis to represent his presence during the mummification process. Anubis also escorted the souls of the dead to the afterlife, and participated in a special judgement ceremony called "The Weighing of the Heart" which deteremined whether or not the person could go on to Osiris.
The ba of the dead person is watching the test, hoping to pass. Anubis stands under a scale and verifies that it's working correctly as the ibis-headed scribe god Thoth waits to record the results. The heart of the dead person is weighed against "the feather of truth," a symbol of Ma'at (the goddess of truth, justice, and order). If the heart weighs less, the spirit is free to go on to meet Osiris. But if the heart is heavy with sin, it is thrown to Ammut, "the devourer of the dead," who gobbles it up, denying the spirit an afterlife and causing it to cease to exist!
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