Anubis was god of the underworld and took part in the mummification
process (turning someone into a mummy). His name means “decay” and his black
face is supposed to symbolise rotting flesh. Anubis also became the patron god of
lost souls, including orphans.
Though magic was mainly used to protect or heal, the Ancient
Egyptians also practised destructive magic. The names of foreign enemies and
Egyptian traitors were inscribed on clay pots, tablets, or statues. A curse was
then placed on the enemy that could not be broken.
Magical statues, like this one, were thought to be more
effective if they incorporated something from the intended victim, such as
hair, nail-clippings or bodily fluids.
This statue was found with the skeleton of a young boy,
perhaps an orphan. There is an Egyptian name written on the base of the statue
and the traces of human hair were found inside. Was this a cursed statue?
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