Whenever people see an Egyptian artifact that looks like a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥, they think it’s Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, however, there are other canine deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon! This small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 depicts the god 𓊹 Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 who was known as “The Opener of the Ways!”

Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 is associated with Abydos 𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖 and is likely the oldest god 𓊹 associated with the jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥! Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 has been depicted on objects that even pre-date the Narmer 𓆢𓍋 Palette 𓐝𓊃𓏏𓆱! Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 is associated with war and conquest, and leading ritual processions.
Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 was depicted as either a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 or a wolf 𓃹𓈖𓈙𓇋𓏲𓄛 and one of the best ways to distinguish between Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is by looking for their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 since they are artistically very similar looking!
Another way to tell Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 apart is by how the jackal is standing: Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is usually shown in the recumbent position (𓃢, 𓃣, 𓃤) while Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 is usually shown standing up (𓃧, 𓃨).
Wepwawet’s 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 name 𓂋𓈖 translates to “Opener of the Ways,” which has many meanings. He was associated with clearing the path for the sun 𓇳𓏺 to rise in the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯, clearing the way for the armies in battle, and clearing the path for the deceased to enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 were also carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during processions for this reason!
Other variants of Wepwawet’s name 𓂋𓈖 include:
𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧
𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓁢
𓄋𓈐
𓄋𓈐𓈐𓈐
𓄋𓈐𓈐𓈐𓀭
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.