A statue of Anubis.

A statue of Anubis.

The Shrine of Anubis found in Tutankhamun's tomb is an important object. We can best understand it by examining it as two distinct components: the jackal and the altar. The roughly 3-foot-long jackal is made of wood, expertly carved to reveal the taut muscles of the recumbent canine deity. The wood was plastered and painted black, the symbolic color of Anubis that also represented death and decay, as well as the fertile soil of the Nile and regeneration. The eyes are set with calcite and obsidian and lined with gold. The nails are silver, and the ears and collar are gilded. It's an impressive piece of craftsmanship, meant to represent the presence of divinity. As was customary at the time, the statue was originally draped in a shawl and scarf of fine linen, a material associated both with kings and mummification.