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Egyptian Artifacts

Wepwawet

Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is not the only jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯-headed god π“ŠΉ in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– and it can be easy to get some of them confused because they look similar! Even in ancient texts Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 and Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 can be confused with each other but they are separate deities π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ! This is a bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of the god π“ŠΉ Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧! While the head is cut off, the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is in front of Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 on this piece!

This piece was likely used in a royal procession, as Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 was one of the symbols carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during certain rituals/ceremonies. Wepwawet’s π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– translates to β€œopener of the ways,” and he was even associated with clearing the path for the sun 𓇳𓏺 to rise in the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯! This is probably why he was carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during processions!

Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is associated with Abydos π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š– and is likely the oldest god π“ŠΉ associated with the jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯! Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 has been depicted on objects that even pre-date the Narmer 𓆒𓍋 Palette π“π“Šƒπ“π“†±! Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is associated with war and conquest, and leading ritual processions.

There are a couple of different variations of Wepwawet’s π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ:
𓃧
π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧
π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓁒

The first way the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is written is just the determinative symbol, while the other two 𓏻 ways show the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– spelled out the same, but the determinative at the end is different!

This piece is dated to the Late Period–Ptolemaic Period (c. 664–30 B.C.E.).