The dog is a symbol of the ancient Egyptian god Anubis, the lord of the underworld. Since the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians are rooted in the worship of totems, first Anubis was portrayed as a black dog. However, with the development of anthropocentrism, he turned into a man with the head of a dog. The cult of the god Anubis occupied an important place in the daily life of the Egyptians.
Patron of cemeteries and necropolises
All beliefs associated with afterlife have been imbued with awe and mysticism from time immemorial. Anubis was responsible for the burial ritual important in ancient Egyptian culture. He prepared the body of the deceased for embalming and mummification. Images of Anubis have been preserved in many tombs and burial chambers. Statues of the god of the dead adorn the temple of Osiris and the tomb-catacomb in Alexandria, and the seal of the ancient city of Thebes shows a dog over nine captives.
The amulet with the image of a dog symbolizes the magic of the other world and protects the soul in its last journey.
The image of Anubis next to the body of the deceased was necessary for the further journey of the soul. It was believed that God with the head of a dog meets the human soul at the gates of the underworld and escorts her to the courtroom. There the embodiment of the soul - the heart - was weighed on special scales, on the other side of which lay the feather of the goddess of truth Maat.
