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Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Statue of Anubis

This limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ was found near the Sacred Animal Necropolis at Saqqara (Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š–). The Sacred Animal Necropolis housed thousands 𓏲𓏲𓏲 of mummified animals such as falcons π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„π“¦, baboons, ibises 𓉔𓃀𓅀𓏦 and bulls/cows 𓄀𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦. This piece is dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (664–30 B.C.E.).

Although mummified jackals π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯𓏦 were not found in the area, statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ of Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 have been found most likely because Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is the god π“ŠΉ of mummification and embalming, so it would make sense that there would be statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ of him in the vicinity of this large necropolis. It is thought that Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ such as this were used to guard embalming tents.

Interestingly, this piece was originally painted π“žπ“œ black π“†Žπ“…“, but through time it has lost its coloring! It’s hard to see in my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 (the MET really needs better lighting – the galleries are so dark) but you can still see remnants of some of the black π“†Žπ“…“ paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ!

I was very excited to see this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ, because there is a similar one in the Petrie Museum in London! I love seeing similar pieces in different museums around thr world! Also (no surprise), I love anything Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣!

Nicole (me) with Anubis!

Fun fact! There are no temples π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰π“¦ dedicated to Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 because all tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“¦ and large burial areas were considered β€œtemples” to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀒 Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 in! It makes so much sense because he is the god π“ŠΉ of tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“¦ and mummification!