This brings us to the essence of “com” (community). A community, like a path through the Egyptian desert, is not a static location but a dynamic passage. Communities face thresholds: births, deaths, migrations, victories, defeats. At each threshold, fear and confusion can arise. Wad Wep symbolizes the necessary force that steps forward to say, This way is safe. Follow me. In a metaphorical sense, every healthy community needs its own “openers of the ways”—leaders, elders, volunteers, or even shared stories that provide direction.
Wad Wep (or Wepwawet) was typically depicted as a white or grey wolf or jackal, standing on a standard or running ahead of processions. Unlike Anubis, who presided over embalming and the weighing of the heart, Wad Wep was a scout, a herald, and a military guide. Pharaohs would invoke him before battle, saying, “I have opened the way for the king’s army.” Wad Wep did not merely observe from the underworld; he moved swiftly through the terrain of both the living and the dead, marking routes and clearing obstacles. His role was fundamentally communal—he acted for the group, whether a royal regiment or a funeral cortege. Wad Wep Com
Given the ambiguity, I will interpret “Wad Wep Com” as a creative or colloquial reference to (the wolf-god associated with opening paths and protecting the dead) combined with “Com” as a shorthand for “community” or “coming together.” The essay below synthesizes historical facts about Wepwawet/Wad Wep with a thematic interpretation. The Opener of Ways: Finding Community in the Ancient Symbolism of Wad Wep In the vast pantheon of ancient Egyptian deities, some gods shine brightly while others linger in the shadows of temple reliefs and coffin texts. Among these lesser-known yet profoundly significant figures is Wad Wep (often merged with Wepwawet ), whose name means “Opener of the Ways.” At first glance, “Wad Wep Com” might appear as a fragmented phrase or a modern abbreviation. But if we read it as “Wad Wep Community,” it becomes a powerful metaphor: the ancient god who clears paths also invites us to consider how communities are formed, sustained, and guided through transition. This brings us to the essence of “com” (community)