Sed The mysterious jackal
The jackal was venerated in many ways from the oldest times in Egyptian history and a festival connected to this animal was held by the king after 30 years on the throne (in later years like the New Kingdom - more often). Its purpose was to refresh pharaoh's physical power and the celebration was called the Heb-Sed festival after a shadowy jackal god called Sed.
The rituals (including running), was from the old times when the chief of the tribe would assure the members that he still was fit for his job.
The obscure Sed was never shown (as we know) in carvings, paintings etc. and belonged to the flock with the members Anubis, Wepwawet, Du- amutef and Kentamentiu (see those).
Sed was connected to powers on earth, but three of his colleagues mentioned above were connected to the life beyond in different ways. That Sed never was depicted might indicate that he once was an invisible spirit of strength from before written history in around 3.200 yeras BC.
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