Which Egyptian city was the main cult center of Anubis?

Cynopolis was the main cult center of Anubis in ancient Egypt. The name is Greek for “City of Dogs,” reflecting the city’s strong association with the jackal-headed funerary deity and related canid symbolism.

Cynopolis was in Upper Egypt, near the modern village of El Qeis. The settlement was known in ancient Egyptian sources as Hardai. Its religious importance came from the worship of Anubis, whose responsibilities included protecting the dead and overseeing embalming.

Cynopolis is not the same as Memphis or Thebes, which were major political and religious centers for many other Egyptian gods. Heliopolis was especially associated with the solar theology of Atum and Ra. Anubis was worshipped throughout Egypt, but Cynopolis was particularly identified with his cult.