Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Statue of Anubis

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is one of my favorites! One of the reasons it is so special is because the piece is in such good condition. The black π“†Žπ“…“ paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still clearly visible and the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is so well preserved. Wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is an organic material, and even in the dry heat of the desert π“…Ÿπ“‚‹π“π“ˆŠ it can still break down over thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of years! My Nonno always pointed out every wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 piece in a museum and told us how significant it was that the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 was preserved. Now, it is something I always look for.Β 

This particular Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 piece is dated to the Ramesside Period, which was during the 19th-20th Dynasties of the New Kingdom. This style of statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 depicting Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 actually became very popular during the Ptolemaic Period, and there is a piece similar to this in the Brooklyn Museum too! 

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 shows Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 in his jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯ form. The kneeling position is representative of him guarding the necropolis π“‹΄π“ˆ–π“ŠΌ from high above on a hill π“ˆŽπ“„Ώπ“„Ώπ“ŠŽ or mountain π“ˆ‹π“…³- as was his role as the god π“ŠΉ of cemeteries and mummification π“‹΄π“‚§π“π“…±π“Ž. One of his titles which is β€œLord of the Sacred Land π“ŽŸπ“‡Ύπ“‚¦π“ˆŠ,” exemplifies and highlights this role. The β€œsacred land” mentioned in this title is another way to say β€œnecropolis π“‹΄π“ˆ–π“ŠΌ!” 

Another one of Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 titles is β€œupon his hill π“Άπ“Ίπ“ˆ‹π“†‘β€ and this hieroglyphic π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ phrase usually follows his name π“‚‹π“ˆ– in dedication texts! Again, this is representative of Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 role as protector π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱; he was always standing watch from above! 

I also love this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 because it is very similar to Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 determinative hieroglyph 𓃣 (which is my favorite hieroglyphic π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ symbol) and it’s almost identical to the β€˜recumbent jackal 𓃒” sign! Basically, I love anything to do with Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣! Seeing a well preserved statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of him, or hieroglyphic π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ symbols of his name π“‚‹π“ˆ– in inscriptions π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ makes me really happy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 and excited. It’s like seeing an old friend π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“€€π“!