# Anuket

Part of a series on :
Ancient Egyptian religion :
Beliefs
Afterlife
Cosmology
Duat
Ma'at
Mythology
Index
Numerology
Philosophy
Soul :
Practices
Funerals
Offerings: Offering formula
Temples
Pyramids :
Deities (list)Ogdoad
Amun
Amunet
Hauhet
Heh
Kauket
Kek
Naunet
Nu
Ennead
Atum
Geb
Isis
Nephthys
Nut
Osiris
Set
Shu
Tefnut
A
Aati
Aker
Akhty
Amenhotep, son of Hapu
Amesemi
Ammit
Am-heh
Amu-Aa
Anat
Andjety
Anhur
Anput
Anubis
Anuket
Apedemak
Apep
Apis
Apt
Aqen
Arensnuphis
Ash
Assessors
Astarte
Aten
B
Babi
Banebdjedet
Bastet
Bat
Bata
Ba-Pef
Bennu
Bes
Buchis
C
Cavern deities
D
Dedun
Duau (god)
F
Four sons of Horus
G
Gate deities
H
Ha
Hapi
Hauron
Hathor
Hatmehit
Hedetet
Hedjhotep
Heka
Hemen
Hemsut
Henet
Heqet
Hermanubis
Hesat
Horus
Harpocrates
Heryshaf
Hu
I
Iabet
Iah
Iat
Igai
Ihy
Ikhemu-sek
Imentet
Imhotep
Ipy
Iunit
Iusaaset
K
Kebechet
Khensit
Khenti-Amentiu
Khenti-kheti
Khepri
Kherty
Khnum
Khonsu
Kothar-wa-Khasis
M
Maahes
Ma'at
Mandulis
Medjed
Mafdet
Mehen
Mehet-Weret
Mehit
Menhit
Meret
Meretseger
Meskhenet
Min
Mnevis
Montu
Mut
N
Nebethetepet
Nebtuwi
Nefertem
Nehebkau
Nehmetawy
Neith
Nemty
Nekhbet
Neper
P
Pakhet
Perit
Petbe
Ptah
Q
Qebui
Qed-her
Qetesh
R
Ra
Raet-Tawy
Rekhyt
Rem
Renenutet
Renpet
Renpetneferet
Repyt
Resheph
S
Sah
Satis
Sebiumeker
Sekhmet
Seker
Serapis
Serket
Seshat
Shai
Shed
Shesmetet
Shezmu
Sia
Sobek
Sopdet
Sopdu
Souls of Pe and Nekhen
T
Tatenen
Taweret
Tayt
Ta-Bitjet
Thoth
Hermes Trismegistus
Tjenenyet
Tutu
U
Unut
W
Wadjet
Wadj-wer
Weneg
Wepset
Wepwawet
Werethekau
Wosret :
Locations
Aaru
Benben
Duat
Land of Manu
The Indestructibles :
Symbols and objects
Aani
Abtu
Ankh
Atef
Atet
Book of Thoth
Cartouche
Corn mummy
Crook and flail
Deshret
Djed
Egyptian obelisk
Egyptian pool
Eye of Horus
Eye of Ra
Griffin
Hedjet
Hemhem crown
Hennu
Hieracosphinx
Hypocephalus
Imiut fetish
Khepresh
Kneph
Matet boat
Medjed
Menat
Nebu
Nemes
Neshmet
Ouroboros
Pschent
Scarab
Seqtet boat
Serekh
Serpopard
Set animal
Shen ring
Sphinx
Tyet
Uraeus
Ushabti
Was-sceptre
Winged sun :
Texts
Funerary texts (Amduat • Books of Breathing • Book of Caverns • Book of the Dead • Book of the Earth • Book of Gates) :
Related religions
Atenism
Hermeticism
Thelema
Kemeticism (Kemetic Orthodoxy • Church of the Most High Goddess) :
Ancient Egypt portal :
vte :
Anuket was the ancient Egyptian goddess of the cataracts of the Nile and Lower Nubia in general, worshipped especially at Elephantine near the First Cataract.

## Etymology

In ancient Egyptian, she was known as Anuket, Anaka, or Anqet. Her name meant the "Clasper" or "Embracer". In Greek, this became Anoukis (Ανουκις), sometimes also spelled Anukis. In the interpretatio graeca, she was considered equivalent to Hestia or Vesta.

## History and roles

She was originally the daughter of Ra, but was always related to Satet in some way. For example, both goddesses were called the "Eye of Ra", along with Bastet, Hathor, and Sekhmet. Also, they were both related in some way to the Uraeus.
Anuket was the goddess of the Nile flood and a protective goddess of the southern border of Egypt. Her posing with her arms outstretched may have been a visual reference to the shape of the Nile, with its two tributaries, and influenced her being called "the Embracer". In the New Kingdom, her aspects as a southern goddess were emphasized to the point where one of her epithets was "the Nubian".
She was associated with swift moving water, and this was the reason for her association with papyruses.

## Worship

Anuket was part of a triad with the god Khnum, and the goddess Satis. She may have been the sister of the goddess Satis or she may have been a junior consort to Khnum instead.
A temple dedicated to Anuket was erected on the Island of Seheil. Inscriptions show that a shrine or altar was dedicated to her at this site by the 13th Dynasty pharaoh Sobekhotep III. Much later, during the 18th Dynasty, Amenhotep II dedicated a chapel to the goddess.
During the New Kingdom, Anuket's cult at Elephantine included a river procession of the goddess during the first month of Shemu. Inscriptions mention the processional festival of Khnum and Anuket during this period.
Ceremonially, when the Nile started its annual flood, the Festival of Anuket began. People threw coins, gold, jewelry, and precious gifts into the river, in thanks to the goddess for the life-giving water and returning benefits derived from the wealth provided by her fertility. The taboo held in several parts of Egypt, against eating certain fish which were considered sacred, was lifted during this time, suggesting that a fish species of the Nile was a totem for Anuket and that they were consumed as part of the ritual of her major religious festival. She was seen as bringing forth the flood.