| Wepwawet | |
|---|---|
 Wepwawet, the opener of ways. Wepwawet is depicted as a white or grayish haired wolf or jackal in theTemple of Seti I. | |
| Major cult center | Lycopolis,Abydos |
| Animals | Wolves |
| Symbol | Wolf, Jackal, themace, bow and arrows. |
InEgyptian mythology,Wepwawet (hieroglyphicwp-w3w.t; also renderedUpuaut,Wep-wawet,Wepawet,Apuat, andOphois) was originally a jackal deity of funerary rites, war, and royalty, whosecult centre wasAsyut inUpper Egypt (Lycopolis in theGreco-Roman period). His name meansopener of the ways and he is often depicted as a wolf standing at the prow of a solar-boat. Some interpret that Wepwawet was seen as ascout, going out to clear routes for the army to proceed forward.[1] One inscription from theSinai states that Wepwawet "opens the way" to kingSekhemkhet's victory.[2] In royal and religious processions, Wepwawet was often depicted on the first standard, opening the way for subsequent standards. He also stands at the prow of the Barque ofRa, usually in human-headed form.
Wepwawet originally was seen as a jackal, or, according to some, a wolf deity, with his cult center being at theLycopolis, (meaningcity of wolves in Greek). He is one of the earliest Egyptian Gods on record. Wepwawet was heavily seen in association with royalty and the Pharaoh (My face is that of Wepwawet, Pyramid Texts), symbolizing and protecting their rise to power, accompanying them on hunts (in which capacity he was titled[one with] sharp arrows more powerful than thegods alone) or in the pharaoh's ascent to the Duat, or afterlife.[3]
Over time, the connection to war and thus todeath led to Wepwawet also being seen as one who opened the ways to, and through,Duat, for the spirits of the dead. Through this, Wepwawet became associated withAnubis, a deity that was worshiped in Asyut, eventually being considered his brother.
The Pyramid Texts state that Wepwawet was born in the Peru-nu, the sacred shrine of the goddess Wadjet, while an alternative myth suggests he emerged from a tamarisk bush. Consequently, Wepwawet is often confused with Anubis.[2] This deity appears in theTemple ofSeti I at Abydos.[2]
InEgyptian art, Wepwawet was depicted as a black jackal, or as a man with the head of a jackal. In the temple of Seti I at Abydos, Wepwawet appears to have grey-colored fur, though this is likely due to loss of pigmentation, as elsewhere in the temple, black paint is almost entirely faded. In rare cases, he appears in fully human form.
He was sometimes depicted dressed as a soldier, as well as carrying other military equipment—amace and abow.
For what generally is considered to be lauding purposes of the pharaohs, a latermyth briefly was circulated claiming that Wepwawet was born at the sanctuary ofWadjet, the sacred site for the oldest goddess of Lower Egypt that is located in the heart ofLower Egypt. Consequently, Wepwawet, who had hitherto been the standard of Upper Egypt alone, formed an integral part of royal rituals, symbolizing the unification of Egypt.
In laterPyramid Texts, Wepwawet is called "Ra" who has gone up from the horizon, perhaps as the "opener" of the sky.[2] In the later Egyptian funerary context, Wepwawet assists at theOpening of the mouth ceremony and guides the deceased into thenetherworld.[2]
InCrusader Kings III, God Wepwawet is the supreme deity of the Kordofan faith.[4]
Wepwawet is the personal god or totem of Thu, the main character in theLady of the Reeds books by Canadian authorPauline Gedge (House of Dreams, 1994; and House of Illusions, 1996).
While we do not know for certain the exact species of animal represented by the Ancient EgyptiansꜢb / sAb animal (Jackal), theAfrican wolf (Canis lupaster) was one species thought to depict and the template of numerous Ancient Egyptian deities, including Wepwawet.[5] Other species theorized include theblack-backed jackal also called the silver-backed Jackal (C. mesomelas orLupulella mesomelas) andgolden jackal orAsiatic jackal (Canis aureus).
TheEgyptian jackal was listed as a subspecies of thegolden jackal but molecular andosteological data has established that it is a unique species in its own right. It is native to Egypt,Libya, andEthiopia, though its post-Pleistocene range once encompassed thePalestine region.
Inter-breeding between species also cannot be ruled out, and it has been posited that a species sharing the characteristics of both African jackal and wolf species could be the missing link, such as the combination ofC. aureas andC. lupus lupaster appearing asCanis aureus lupaster.[6]
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You will ascend towards towards the sky as Horus, Upon the celestial sledge of the Opener of the Ways" [Pyramid Texts §§796-799 (Sethe)]
Media related toWepwawet at Wikimedia Commons
