Sarcophagus depicting Hermes meeting the Souls of the Deceased at The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

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Psychopomps, derived from the Greek word ψυχοπομπός - psuchopompos, literally meaning guide of souls, are creatures, spirits, angels or deities in many religions whose duty is to escort deceased souls safely from Earth to the afterlife. Their role is not to judge the deceased but to provide a secure passage. Often depicted on funerary art, psychopomps have been linked at different times and in various cultures with horses, whip-poor-wills, ravens, dogs, crows, owls, sparrows, cuckoos and harts. When seen as birds, they are frequently observed in massive flocks waiting outside the home of the dying. Classical examples of a psychopomp in Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology include Charon, Vanth, Hermes, Hecate, Mercury and Anubis. In many beliefs, a spirit being taken to the underworld is violently torn from its body. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access freely. Scan the World is an open source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can assist. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)