Description:
mottled stone head of a jackal from a large sculpture; mythology; animal

Label Text:
This head of Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god of funerary rites, was once part of the tomb complex of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. The jackal head was originally attached to the body of a standing man. The statue was placed in the tomb to guide the deceased from life to death to the afterlife.
The sculpture is carved from diorite, an igneous rock prized for its durability. Technical analysis suggests the diorite was possibly sourced from the quarry of Aswan, up the Nile from the tomb complex. The snout lacks the large pinkish feldspar crystals present in the rest of the head, suggesting it was broken and repaired at least once.

Tags:
mythology; archaeology; animals

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=SC+1970.19.1

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