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Egyptian Artifacts

“The Opener of the Ways”

Whenever people see an Egyptian artifact that looks like a jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯, they think it’s Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣, however, there are other canine deities π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ in the Egyptian pantheon! This small π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 depicts the god π“ŠΉ Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 who was known as “The Opener of the Ways!”Β 

The Opener of the Ways
Small statue of the god Wepwawet at the MET

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. 

Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 was depicted as either a jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯ or a wolf π“ƒΉπ“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“‡‹π“²π“„› and one of the best ways to distinguish between Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 and Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is by looking for their names π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“¦ in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ since they are artistically very similar looking! 

Another way to tell Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 and Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 apart is by how the jackal is standing: Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is usually shown in the recumbent position (𓃒, 𓃣, 𓃀) while Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is usually shown standing up (𓃧, 𓃨).

Wepwawet’s π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– translates to β€œOpener of the Ways,” which has many meanings. He was associated with clearing the path for the sun 𓇳𓏺 to rise in the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯, clearing the way for the armies in battle, and clearing the path for the deceased to enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ of Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 were also carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during processions for this reason! 

Other variants of Wepwawet’s name π“‚‹π“ˆ– include:

π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧

π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓁒

π“„‹π“ˆ

π“„‹π“ˆπ“ˆπ“ˆ

π“„‹π“ˆπ“ˆπ“ˆπ“€­

𓃧

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

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

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