Death Dogs | Meet the Jackal Gods

Meet the Jackal Gods

The ancient Egyptians worshipped a number of gods associated with the mythical black jackal, all of whom were connected to death and the afterlife. Only a few of these gods were well known even to the Egyptians: Anubis, Wepwawet, and Duamutef. But many other jackal gods were also revered, often as local deities.

Jackal gods depicted on the coffin of Seti I — Jackal gods depicted on the coffin of King Seti I (image from pl. 8 of S. Sharpe, The Alabaster Sarcophagus of Oimenephthah I, King of Egypt, Now in Sir John Soane’s Museum, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London: Longman, Roberts and Green, 1864)

The Egyptian jackal gods were nearly all male. Female jackal gods are rare and most often existed in relation to male deities: Anupet as wife of Anubis, and Qebehut as his daughter. The roles and activities of the jackal gods largely reflect male and female gender roles in Egyptian society.

Khentiamentiu is an unusual case of a god who is absorbed by another god. He began as an important early jackal god associated with death at Abydos, but his functions competed with the rising funerary god Osiris. Through a process not entirely understood, Khentiamentiu was merged with Osiris, losing his independent identity entirely. However, he did survive in a way: his name became a title of Osiris that lasted for more than 2,000 years.