The Anubis Shrine, sometimes called the Ark of Anubis, was discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun KV62 in the Valley of the King, facing west (the direction of the Egyptian afterlife). The Anubis Shrine seems to have been set up as a guardian, since it was found in front of the canopic chest (containing the jars that held the pharaoh’s vital organs during mummification), and in front of the entrance to the treasury.
A statue of Anubis was attached to the roof of the chest. Although the artifact was almost certainly religious in nature, it is unlikely that it was ever used in worship, but was instead restricted to afterlife rituals and the tomb.
What is truly remarkable about this artifact is its similarity to the Old Testament’s description of the Ark of the Covenant. Here are some examples.
Base material: the Ark of Anubis was constructed as a wood chest. The Ark of the Covenant was a chest made of acacia wood.
Overlay: the base material of the Ark of Anubis was covered with a layer of plaster covered in gold leaf. The Ark of the Covenant was plated in gold.
Figure(s) on the top: the Ark of Anubis was topped with a guardian figure of Anubis in the likeness of a jackal. The Ark of the Covenant was topped with a golden lid that had two guardian cherubim figures on it.
Transport: The Ark of Anubis had two poles attached to either side to enable priests to carry it. The Ark of the Covenant was carried by two poles, which attached to the chest using gold rings, and was covered in a veil when transported.
Contents: The Ark of Anubis contained sacred items; it had four small compartments and one large compartment that contained amulets, statuettes of the gods Thoth and Horus, two shabtis (small figurines who would be pharaoh’s servants in the afterlife), a clay scepter, and jewels. The Ark of the Covenant contained the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, the rod of Aaron, and a pot of manna.
Although the Ark of Anubis comes from the 14th century BC (approximately 100 years after the Exodus), the construction of sacred chests with a guardian on top is seen in Egyptian artwork as early as the reign of Hatshepsut around 1500 BC.
Summary
The two chests were similar in form and construction, and clearly demonstrate that the Israelites were intimately familiar with Egyptian material culture of the 18th Dynasty. This strongly corroborates the accounts of Israelite presence (albeit in captivity) in Egypt in this time period. The Israelite craftsmen were able to use and adapt the skills and techniques they learned in Egypt to build a sacred chest with features unique to the worship of Yahweh.
