Domains & Iconography
Domains: afterlife, guidance, Greco‑Roman
Iconography: jackal‑headed with caduceus
Role & Spread
Hermanubis appears on gemstones, funerary reliefs, and amulets across Roman Egypt, guiding souls and securing safe passage. The caduceus joins Egyptian jackal head—a contract between speech, road, and rite.
Iconography
Jackal‑headed figure with Greek garments and caduceus; sometimes balances scales or accompanies Isis and Serapis in cosmopolitan ensembles.
Legacy
A compact symbol of cultural brokerage, Hermanubis helped Mediterranean audiences read Egyptian care for the dead through Greek visual grammar. Museum gems and bronzes attest to everyday trust in his guidance.
Sources & References
See also
Osiris
God of death and regeneration; ruler of the underworld (Duat) and exemplar of just kingship.
Serapis
Greco‑Egyptian god formed from Osiris‑Apis with Hellenic features; healing and afterlife benefactor.
Isis‑Aphrodite
Greco‑Roman fusion presenting Isis with Aphrodite’s attributes in Mediterranean cults.
Anubis
Jackal god of embalming and necropolis guardianship; overseer of the weighing of the heart.