Wepwawet: Opener of the Ways
Wepwawet was an Egyptian jackal god whose name means “Opener of the Ways.” As such, he helped the deceased through the frequently dangerous paths to the afterlife, clearing the way to the final judgment of the dead. Although frequently paired with Anubis in connection with protecting the dead, Wepwawet also had his own independent identity, as well as important cult centers at Asyut (known in Greek as Lykopolis, “Wolf-town”) and Abydos. Inscriptions from Lykopolis attest to his status as beloved local god. On his own, Wepwawet often appears as a standing jackal or standing jackal-headed god; when he and Anubis are paired in funerary art, the two gods are typically shown as identical seated jackals facing each other.