Yinepu, whose Name means "royal child," is a very ancient Netjer. The oldest tombs from the Old Kingdom, over 4000 years ago, have prayers to him written on their walls. He is the primary god of the Underworld and was Lord of the Dead before Wesir took over that role.
He appears as a full jackal or jackal-headed man, and is sometimes shown carrying the flail of Wesir. In the hieroglyphs of his name, Yinepu appears as a seated jackal.
He looks very similar to Wepwawet, except that Yinepu is always black. This color symbolizes not only death, but also rebirth, because it is the color of Kemet's fertile soil from which life springs.
[picture of Yinepu]
One of Yinepu's tasks is to oversee mummification of the dead, and funerary priests wore His mask during the important "Opening of the Mouth" rite for the mummy. This ritual allowed the mummy to act as a vessel for the ka of the dead person, so that it could visit the tomb, enjoy the offerings, and communicate with relatives still on earth.
Yinepu watches and overlooks tombs, guarding the dead who are buried there. He walks between the seen and unseen worlds, guiding the dead safely to the "Hall of the Double Truth" for the Judgment. There He stands by the scales and makes sure that the heart is weighed fairly against the feather of Ma'at.
In some traditions, Yinepu is the son of Nebt-Het and Ra. Other writings call Him the son of the cow goddess Hesat or even the son of Bast. In later periods, He is known as the adopted son of Aset. Yinepu's daughter is Qeb-het, whose Name means "Cooling Water." She takes the form of a serpent or ostrich, giving pure water to the King.
Here is a prayer for Yinepu, written by His daughter, Imakhu Meresinepu:
Homage to You,
Lord of the Wrappings!
You who oversees the preparation of the mummy,
You who escorts our loved ones to the place of judgment,
Protect those we love, Gentle Lord,
Guide their souls through the Underworld
And safely to the West.
Like all Names of Netjer, Yinepu wants to help spread Ma'at. He does this by keeping things moving and flowing. He points out problems so that we can figure out solutions. He is also very loving and caring, watching over and protecting His children in this world and the next.
Test your knowledge!
[click on question to see answer]
1. When does the funerary priest wear a mask of Yinepu?
2. What does Yinepu do during the Judgment?
3. How does Yinepu help spread Ma'at?
More information on Yinepu: The Realm of Yinepu
