Makara's List of Egyptian Goddesses Makara's List of Egyptian Goddesses A Amaunet Means "Hidden One." She was an Egyptian mother and/or fertility goddess. At the beginning of time aspects of Amaunet merged with those of the goddess Neith. Among the Ogdoad, Amun was her consort. She was regarded as a tutelary deity of the Egyptian Pharaohs, and had a prominent part in the Pharaoh's accession ceremonies. Ammut (Ammit) "Devouress of the Dead." Demonic goddess who attends the Judging of the Dead. She was depicted as having the head of a crocodile, the torso of a lioness and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. She waited in the Judgement Hall of the Two Truths during the Weighing of the Heart ceremony, and devoured those who were sinners in life. Anat A goddess of Syrian origin. Anat had a warlike character. She usually was represented as a woman holding a shield and an axe. Anentet ( Amenthes ) Egyptian goddess of the West. The west was considered to be the Underworld.

Anuket ( Anqet, Anquet, Greek Anukis ) Egyptian goddess who personified the Nile as Nourisher of the Fields. She was mainly associated with the lower cataracts near Aswan. Also was a protective deity of childbirth. She was considered to be the daughter of Ra, Satis or Khnum. Depicted in human form, bearing a crown topped with ostrich feathers. Her principal sanctuary was at Elephantine. Her sacred animal was the gazelle. Astarte (As-start-a) A goddess of Syrian origin. Introduced in Egypt during the 18th Dynasty. Was also known as The Queen of Heaven and as such, her cult often overlapped with Isis' worshipers. Ausaas Egyptian wife of Herakhty (Horus). B Bastet ( Bast, Ubasti ) Egyptian sun, cat and of the home goddess. As a sun goddess she represents the warm, life giving power of the sun. A goddess of the home, pregnant women and of the domestic cat, although she sometimes took on the war-like aspect of a lioness. Normally said to be the daughter of the sun god Ra, but sometimes her father was said to be Amun.

Bastet was wife of Ptah and mother of the lion-god Mihos. She was also associated with 'Eye of Ra', as such she was a instrument of the sun god's vengeance. She was depicted as a cat or in human form with the head of a cat, often holding the sistrum. Her cult was centered on her sanctuary at Bubastis in the Delta region. A necropolis has been found there, containing mummified cats. Bat (Bata) Cow goddess of fertility and primarily a deity of Upper Egypt. She was depicted as a cow or in human form with cow's ears and horns. Beset Egyptian goddess, a female version of Bes. Buto ( Edjo, Udjo, Wadjet, Wadjit ) A tutelary goddess of Lower Egypt. H Hathor (Hethert, Athyr) Cow goddess. A goddess of love and motherhood, Hathor was the daughter of Nut and Ra. In early Egyptian mythology she was said to be the mother Horus, but was later replaced with Isis. After being displaced, Hathor became a protectress of Horus. The Greeks identified Hathor with Aphrodite.

Her name means "House (or Mansion) of Horus," referring to her role as a sky goddess. The heavens were often depicted as being a cow with stars on it, thus the "house." She was often regarded as the mother of the Pharaoh, who called himself the "son of Hathor." Since the Pharaoh was also considered to be the Living Horus, as the son of Isis, it is plausible that the phrase "son of Hathor" came from when Hathor was the mother of Hours. The snake, the Egyptian rattle known as the sistrum, and the papyrus reed often symbolized Hathor. Her image could also be used to form the capitals of columns in Egyptian architecture. Her principal sanctuary was at Dandarah, which may also be where Hathor got her origins. At Dandarah, she was mainly worshipped in her role as a goddess of fertility, women and childbirth. At Thebes she was regarded as a goddess of the dead with the title of "Lady of the West." This associated her with Ra on his descent below the western horizon and various deaths related gods, such as Osiris and Anubis.

She was depicted either as a cow or in human form wearing a crown consisting of a sun disk held between the horns of a cow. Hat-mehyt (Hatmehit) Fish goddess of Mendes in the Delta and the consort of Banebdjedet. She was occasionally represented as a woman with a fish on her head. Hauhet Goddess of infinity and a member of the Ogdoad. Her consort was Heh Hedetet A scorpion goddess. Heket (Heqet) A goddess of childbirth and protector of the dead. She is the daughter of Ra and is sometimes called the 'Eye of Ra' and 'Mother of the gods'. She is shown as a frog, a symbol of life and fertility (millions of them are born after the annual inundation of the Nile), or as a woman with a frog's head. Women often wore amulets of her during childbirth. She is regarded as the consort of Khnum. Hemsut (Hemuset) The Egyptian goddess of fate. Heqet A frog-goddess of Antinoopolis. She was a helper of women during childbirth. At Antinoopolis she was associated with Khnum.

Hermouthis An Egyptian cow goddess. The ancient Egyptians referred to milk as 'the beer of Hesat.' I Isdes She was a goddess of Heliopolis whose name means, "she comes who is great." She was a counterpart to the creator god Atum. Normally depicted wearing a scarab beetle on her head. Isis (Aset, Eset, Aat, Menkhet, Hert, Ament, Menhet) "Throne." Egyptian mother goddess. Isis has many names: "Mistress of Magic,The Queen of Heaven (similar to Astarte), The Great Lady, the God-Mother, lady of Re-a-nefer; Isis-Nebuut, Lady of Sekhet; Lady of Besitet; Isis in Per Pakht, the Queen of Mesen; Isis of Ta-at-nehepet; Isis, dweller in Netru; Isis, Lady of Hebet; Isis in P-she-Hert; Isis, Lady of Khebt; Usert-Isis, Giver of Life, Lady of Abaton, Lady of Philae and Lady of the Countries of the South." Isis ruled over all matters concerning mothering, life, and sorcery.

She was the daughter of Geb and Nut, according to the Heliopolitan genealogy, sister-wife of Osiris and, according to most myths, the mother of Horus. As the personification of the throne, Isis was an important source of the Pharaoh's power. Isis' Latin epithet was Stella Maris, which means, "star of the sea." Isis was depicted in human form, crowned either by a throne or by cow horns enclosing a sun disk, occasionally a vulture was incorporated in her crown. She is also depicted as a kite above the mummified body of Osiris. She was divinely represented by the Ankh. Isis' cult was popular throughout Egypt, however, the most important sanctuaries were at Giza and at Behbeit El-Hagar. During the Late Period, Philae was her main cult-center. Later on, she had an important cult in the Greco-Roman world, with sanctuaries at Delos and Pompeii. Isis is one of the four great protector goddesses, which included Bast, Nephyths, and Hathor. She guarded coffins and the Canopic jars.

In the origin myth of Ra and the world, Isis found out Ra's name by enchanting a poisonous snake to bite him. When Ra was close to dying, Isis told him that she could only heal him if she knew Ra's true name. By knowing Ra's name, she then had power equal to him and was then given all of her magical power and was forever known as the Divine Sorceress. Isis and Nephyths were the divine mourners for the dead (Osiris). Isis was the one who retrieved and reassembled the body of Osiris after his murder and dismemberment by Set. In this way she took on the role of a goddess of the dead and funeral rites. Isis impregnated herself from the corpse and gave birth to Horus. She gave birth in secrecy at Khemmis in the Nile delta and hid the child from Set in the papyrus swamps. Horus later defeated Set and became the first ruler of a united Egypt. Isis, as mother of Horus, was by extension regarded as the mother and protectress of the Pharaohs. This relationship between Isis and Horus may also have influenced the Christian conception of the relationship between Mary and the infant Jesus Christ.

There is a resemblance to the depiction of the seated Isis holding or suckling the child Horus and the seated Mary and the baby Jesus. Goddess of darkness and a member of the Ogdoad. Her consort was Kek. Kebechet Goddess who personified the purification through water. Daughter of Anubis, Kebechet plays an important role in the funeral cult. Her appearance is that of a snake. M Ma'at (Maat, Mayet) "Straight": law and order. Egyptian goddess of cosmic harmony, truth and justice. Ma'at was depicted as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head, she was sometimes represented only by the feather. Ma'at was closely associated with Ra from the beginning and eventually became known as the 'daughter of Ra.' Thoth was sometimes given as her consort. The Pharaohs were said to derive their authority from Ma'at and claimed to uphold the cosmic order embodied in her. In the funerary papyri of the New Kingdom it was Ma'at who sat in judgement at the weighting of the heart ceremony in the Hall of the Two Truths.

The heart of the deceased was weighed against the image of Ma'at, often represented simply by the ostrich feather. Her only know sanctuary was in Karnak. Mafdet The first deity to be mentioned who is half-cat (domesticate). She appears to be associated with the protection of the king's chambers. OR Panther Goddess Her ferocity prevails over snakes and scorpions. Mekhit (Mechit) A lion goddess and consort of Anhur Meret (Mert) The Egyptian goddess of song and rejoicing. Meretseger (Mertseger,Meresger) "She who loves silence." Egyptian cobra goddess and protective deity of the Theban necropolis. She was believed to live on a mountain overlooking the Valley of the Kings. Worshiped by the workers at the necropolis, she was believed to poison or blind anyone who committed a crime. Supposedly, this belief was intended to reinforce the taboo against desecrating or robbing the tombs. She was depicted as a coiled cobra or as a cobra with the head of a woman and a single human arm. Her cult died out when the Theban necropolis was abandoned during the XXI Dynasty.

Mut Egyptian vulture goddess and chief goddess of Thebes. Also a mother goddess occasionally referenced to as the queen of all gods. She was depicted in the form of a vulture or in a human form with a vulture headdress and the combined crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. She was usually dressed in a bright red or blue gown. In Thebes she replaced Amaunet as the consort of the sun god Amun. With their adoptive son Khonsu, the two formed the Theban triad. Her principal sanctuary was in Thebes. Goddess of the primordial abyss and member of the Ogdoad. Her consort was Nun. Nebethetepet A goddess whose name means "mistress of the offering." She is a feminine counterpart of the male creative principle of Atum. She supposedly was "namely his Hand with which he brought about the ejaculation that brought the cosmos into being." A goddess of Heliopolis. Neith (Neit) Egyptian creator goddess and of war, the hunt and domestic arts. Her symbol was a shield bearing crossed arrows. Said to be a self-begotten virgin.

She later came to be identified as the consort of Set and the mother of the crocodile god Sobek. Her principal sanctuary was at Sais in the Nile Delta, where she originally developed as a local goddess. After rising to national prominence, a sanctuary was dedicated to her in Memphis. In the Esna cosmology, Neith was said to have emerged from the primeval waters to create the world, subsequently following the Nile north to the delta where she founded Sais. Depicted in the form of a woman wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt and bearing a shield with crossed arrows. Nekhbet (Nekhebet, Nechbet) "She of Nekhbet." Egyptian vulture and tutelary goddess of Upper Egypt. She was also a protective goddess of childbirth who was depicted as the nurse of the future monarch during his infancy. In her capacity as protectress of the infant monarch she was known as the "Great White Cow of Nekheb." She was usually depicted as a vulture wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt and holding the eternity symbols in her talons. Her principal sanctuary was in Nekheb (El Kab) in Upper Egypt.

Nephthys (Greek form; Egyptian Neb-hut, Nebthet) "Mistress/Lady of the House." Egyptian goddess of the dead and daughter of Geb and Nut. Nephthys was the sister of Isis, Osiris and Set. She was the consort of Set until Set killed Osiris. According to one tradition, she was also the mother of Anubis by Osiris. Nephthys' principal sanctuary was in Heliopolis. Along with Isis, she was one of the guardians of the corpse of Osiris. She is shown in human form wearing a crown in the form of the hieroglyph for house. Sometimes depicted as a kite guarding the funeral bier of Osiris. Nepit An Egyptian corn goddess. She is the female counterpart of the god Neper. Nut (Neuth, Nuit) Egyptian goddess of the sky and the heavens. Daughter of Shu and Tefnut, in the Heliopolitan genealogy. Originally just a mother goddess who had numerous children. The hieroglyph of her name is thought to be a womb although a water pot represented the womb.

She was typically depicted as a woman with her elongated and naked body arching above Shu and the earth god Geb to form the heavens. Sometimes she appeared in the form of a cow whose body forms the sky and heavens. Nut was the barrier separating the forces of Chaos form the ordered cosmos in this world. Her fingers and toes were believed to touch the four cardinal points or directions. The sun god Ra was to be reborn from her vagina each morning. Nut was also a goddess of the dead, and the Pharaoh was said to enter her body after death, from which he would later be resurrected. Her principal sanctuary was in Heliopolis. A goddess of Syrian origin. Often represented as a woman standing on a lion's back. R Renenutet (Ernutet, Renenet) Egyptian cobra goddess. Depicted either as a hooded cobra or in human form with the head of a cobra. Her name seems to have the meaning of nurturing or raisin a child, and she was both a goddess associated with motherhood and the tutelary deity of the Pharaoh.

Her gaze was said to have the power to vanquish all enemies and also to ensure the fertility of the crops and the bounty of the harvest. She was associated with the magical properties believed to inhere in the linen bandages that wrapped the dead and was known at Edfu as the 'mistress of the robes.' She had an important cult center in the fertile Faiyum region, where she was closely associated with the local crocodile god Sobek. In the Greco-Roman period she was worshipped as the goddess Hermouthis, in which form she came to be combined with Isis. Renpet The Egyptian goddess of youth and springtime. Reret Goddess of the inundation of the Nile and fertility Satis (Greek form, also Sati; Egyptian Satjit or Satet) An Egyptian goddess whose primary role was that of a guardian of Egypt's southern (Nubian) frontier and killing the enemies of the Pharaoh with her arrows.

As 'Queen of Elephantine' she figures as the consort of Khnum and the mother of Anuket, the three sometimes being referred to as the 'Elephantine's triad.' Depicted in human form wearing the tall conical white crown of Upper Egypt bounded on either side by plumes or antelope horns, holding a scepter and the Ankh (life) symbol. She had a major sanctuary on the island of Sahel near Elephantine (Aswan). She was also associated with the annual inundation of the Nile. Sekhmet (Sachmet, Sakhmet) "The Powerful One." Egyptian lioness goddess, daughter of Ra. In Memphis she formed part of the Memphite triad together with Ptah as her consort and Nefertum (otherwise the son of Bastet) as her son. Depicted as a lioness or in a human form with the head of a lioness. She was generally shown crowned by the solar disk, holding the Ankh (life) symbol or a scepter in the shape of a papyrus reed. In Thebes Sekhmet came to be combined with Mut, the consort of the Theban sun god Amun.

She had a warlike aspect and was said to breathe fire at the enemies of the Pharaoh. Like the goddess Hathor, Sekhmet could become the 'eye of Ra,' an agent of the sun god's punishment. She was believed to be the bearer of plague and pestilence, but in a more benign aspect she was called upon in spells and amulets to ward of disease. Selkis (Selkit, Selket, Selkhet, Serqet) A scorpion-goddess who was identified with the scorching heat of the sun. A protector goddesses, she guarded coffins and Canopic jars. Sometimes shown as a woman with a scorpion on her head. Sentait A cow goddess. Serket (Selket, Selkis, Selchis, Selquet; Egyptian Serket-hetyt) "She who causes the throat to breathe." Egyptian scorpion goddess. Depicted in human form with a scorpion-shaped headdress or with a scorpion body and a human head. She was an early tutelary deity of the Egyptian monarchs. Serket was associated with mortuary rites and helped guard the Canopic jars in which the viscera of the dead were placed.

From this association she came to be a tutelary goddess of the dead. She was called upon in Egyptian magic to advert venomous bites and stings. Seshat (Sesat, Sesheta) The goddess of writing; the divine keeper of royal annals. Was represented as a woman. Shait An Egyptian goddess of destiny. Sothis (Greek form; Egyptian Sopdet) Egyptian goddess who personified the Dog Star, Sirius. The appearance of Sirius at dawn in July (called the helical rising) heralds the annual inundation of the Nile. She naturally became associated with fertility and prosperity resulting from the annual floods. Depicted in human form, wearing the tall conical white crown of Upper Egypt, surmounted by a star. In a forth century BC papyrus, Isis identifies herself with Sothis as she laments the death of Osiris and vows to follow him in his manifestation as the constellation Orion. T Tasenetnofret An ancient Egyptian goddess. She was the consort of Horus when he was Har-wer ("Horus the Elder").

Tawret (Taueret, Taurt, Apet, Opet; Greek Thoueris, Thoeris, Toeris) "The Great One." Egyptian hippopotamus goddess and protective deity of childbirth, also protectress of rebirth into the afterlife. She was depicted with the head of a hippopotamus, the legs and arms of a lion, the tail of a crocodile, human breasts, and a swollen belly. This appearance was meant to frighten off any spirits that might be harmful to the child. She was often depicted holding the Sa, amulet symbolizing protection. As a protective deity of childbirth, she was often depicted in the company of the dwarf god Bes, who ad a similar function. Taweret was the most popular among ordinary Egyptians as a protectress. Pregnant women commonly wore amulets bearing the goddess' image. Tefnut (Tefnet, Tefenet; Greek Tphenis) Primeval Egyptian goddess personifying moisture, particularly in the forms of dew, rains and mist.

According to the Heolopolitan cosmology, she was the daughter of Atum (sun), sister-wife of Shu (air) and the mother of Geb (earth) and Nut (sky). Tefnut could take on the role of the 'eye of Ra' (Ra being another form of her sun god father), in which case she was depicted as a lioness or in human form with the head of a lioness. She could also be depicted as a snake coiled about a scepter. In the Pyramid Texts she was said to create pure water from her vagina. Her principal sanctuary was at Heliopolis. Tefnut and Shu were also worshipped as a pair of lions at Leontopolis in the Nile delta. Tenenit The Egyptian goddess of beer. Hathor, Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Love and Beauty Updated: November 29, 2012 Hathor (Het-Hert, Het-Heru, Hwt-Hert, Hethara), meaning "House of Horus [the Elder]", was a goddess of many things, from the celestial to the alcoholic ! She was a celestial goddess, The Mistress of Heaven.

A goddess of love, music and beauty as the Goddess of Love, Cheerfulness, Music and Dance. Hathor was known as the Mother of Mothers and the Celestial Nurse who presided over women , fertility, children and childbirth. Yet Hathor was also a goddess of baser things - she was the Vengeful Eye of Ra, the Lady of Drunkenness, and a goddess of the dead as Lady of the West. As Lady of the Southern Sycamore, the sycamore was sacred to her. It was from the sycamore tree that Hathor was thought to hand out good things to the deceased in the afterlife, and so she was thought to be a friend to the dead. Image © April McDevitt Her name is translated as "House of Horus", which may be a reference to her as the embodiment of the sky in her role of the Celestial Cow, being that which surrounds the decidedly sky-oriented hawk-deity, Horus, when he takes wing. If Horus was the god associated with the living king, Hathor was the god associated with the living queen. -- Cass, S.

1997, Hathor Hathor was also known as the Mistress of Life, the Great Wild Cow, the Golden One, the Mistress of Turquoise, Lady of Iunet (Dendera, Egypt) (her cult centre was located there), Mistress of Qis (Qusiya), Lady to the Limit (of the Universe), Lady of Punt (perhaps an area in present day Somalia - a famous expedition to this land was commissioned by Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BC), of the 18th Dynasty), the Powerful One, the Mistress of the Desert, Lady of the Southern Sycamore... and many other names, besides. She was also the goddess of the third month of the Egyptian calendar, know in Greek times as Hethara. Image © Friends of Saqqara Foundation An interesting story involving Hathor - all the more interesting because it is very similar to the Japanese tale of the sun goddess who leaves the company of the gods to sulk - is the story of Ra's temper tantrum.

Baba a predynastic baboon god, taunted Ra who stood for Set becoming ruler rather than Horus, "Your shrine is empty!" With that, Ra stormed off to be alone - presumably this is a story about a solar eclipse - and refused to join the other gods. Realising that they'd gone too far, the others sent Baba away, but still Ra refused to stop sulking. Finally, Hathor decided on a plan. She went into Ra's presence and stood before him and started to dance and strip, revealing her nakedness and lewdly showing him her private parts. The dance caused Ra to laugh, forget his hurt feelings and he once again rejoined the gods. The reason that Hathor has so many names, one would assume, is because she is an ancient goddess - she seems to have been mentioned as early as the 2nd Dynasty. Hathor may even been associated with the Narmer palette - although the two human faced bovines may also have been a representation of the king or of another ancient bovine goddess, called Bat, who was eventually surplanted by Hathor.

It is interesting to note, though, that there is not a personal name of the goddess mentioned in the list of names - they are all titles. Hathor, Lady of Amenty, the Dweller in the Great Land, the Lady of Ta-Tchesert, the Eye of Ra, the Dweller in his breast, the Beautiful Face in the Boat of Millions of Years, the Seat of Peace of the doer of truth, Dweller in the Boat of the favoured ones..... I escaped from her blood, I am the master of the redness. -- Clark, R.T.R. 1960, Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt, p. 88 But it is the following tale for which Hathor is most remembered today: The Eye of Ra One of the tales of Hathor was how she was originally a goddess of destruction (Hathor-Sekhmet), and how she came to be the goddess of happier things: Then Ra took on the shape of a man and became the first Pharaoh, ruling over the whole country for thousands and thousands of years, and giving such harvests that for ever afterwards the Egyptians spoke of the good things "which happened in the time of Ra".

But, being in the form of a man, Ra grew old. In time men no longer feared him or obeyed his laws. They laughed at him, saying: "Look at Ra! His bones are like silver, his flesh like gold, his hair is the colour of lapis lazuli!" Ra was angry when he heard this, and he was more angry still at the evil deeds which men were doing in disobedience to his laws. So he called together the gods whom he had made - Shu and Tefnut and Geb and Nut - and he also summoned Nun . Soon the gods gathered about Ra in his Secret Place, and the goddesses also. But mankind knew nothing of what was happening, and continued to jeer at Ra and to break his commandments. Then Ra spoke to Nun before the assembled gods: "Eldest of the gods, you who made me; and you gods whom I have made: look upon mankind who came into being at a glance of my Eye. See how men plot against me; hear what they say of me; tell me what I should do to them.

For I will not destroy mankind until I have heard what you advise." Then Nun said: "My son Ra, the god greater than he who made him and mightier than those whom he has created, turn your mighty Eye upon them and send destruction upon them in the form of your daughter, the goddess Sekhmet ." Ra answered: "Even now fear is falling upon them and they are fleeing into the desert and hiding themselves in the mountains in terror at the sound of my voice." "Send against them the glance of your Eye in the form Sekhmet !" cried all the other gods and goddesses, bowing before Ra until their foreheads touched the ground. So at the terrible glance from the Eye of Ra his daughter Sekhmet came into being, the fiercest of all goddesses. Like a lion she rushed upon her prey, and her chief delight was in slaughter, and her pleasure was in blood. At the bidding of Ra she came into Upper and Lower Egypt to slay those who had scorned and disobeyed him: she killed them among the mountains which lie on either side of the Nile, and down beside the river, and in the burning deserts. All whom she saw she slew, rejoicing in slaughter and the taste of blood.

Presently Ra looked out over the land and saw what Sekhmet had done. Then he called to her, saying: "Come, my daughter, and tell me how you have obeyed my commands." Sekhmet answered with the terrible voice of a lioness as she tears her prey: "By the life which you have given me, I have indeed done vengeance on mankind, and my heart rejoices." Now for many nights the Nile ran red with blood, and Sekhmet 's feet were red as she went hither and thither through all the land of Egypt slaying and slaying. Presently Ra looked out over the earth once more, and now his heart was stirred with pity for men, even though they had rebelled against him. But none could stop the cruel goddess Sekhmet , not even Ra himself: she must cease from slaying of her own accord - and Ra saw that this could only come about through cunning.

So he gave his command: "Bring before me swift messengers who will run upon the earth as silently as shadows and with the speed of the storm winds." When these were brought he said to them: "Go as fast as you can up the Nile to where it flows fiercely over the rocks and among the islands of the First Cataract; go to the isle that is called Abu (Elephantine) and bring from it a great store of the red ochre which is to be found there." The messengers sped on their way and returned with the blood-red ochre to Iunu, the city of Ra where stand the stone obelisks with points of gold that are like fingers pointing to the sun. It was night when they came to the city, but all day the women of Iunu had been brewing beer as Ra bade them. Ra came to where the beer stood waiting in seven thousand jars, and the gods came with him to see how by his wisdom he would save mankind. "Mingle the red ochre of Abu with the barley- beer ," said Ra, and it was done, so that the beer gleamed red in the moonlight like the blood of men.

"Now take it to the place where Sekhmet proposes to slay men when the sun rises," said Ra. And while it was still night the seven thousand jars of beer were taken and poured out over the fields so that the ground was covered to the depth of nine inches -- three times the measure of the palm of a man's hand-with the strong beer , whose other name is "sleep-maker". When day came Sekhmet the terrible came also, licking her lips at the thought of the men whom she would slay. She found the place flooded and no living creature in sight; but she saw the beer which was the colour of blood, and she thought it was blood indeed -- the blood of those whom she had slain. Then she laughed with joy, and her laughter was like the roar of a lioness hungry for the kill. Thinking that it was indeed blood, she stooped and drank. Again and yet again she drank, laughing with delight; and the strength of the beer mounted to her brain, so that she could no longer slay. At last she came reeling back to where Ra was waiting; that day she had not killed even a single man.

Then Ra said: "You come in peace, sweet one." And her name was changed to Hathor, and her nature was changed also to the sweetness of love and the strength of desire. And henceforth Hathor laid low men and women only with the great power of love. But for ever after her priestesses drank in her honour of the beer of Iunu coloured with the red ochre of Abu when they celebrated her festival each New Year. Ancient Egyptian Gods: Hathor Hathor Hathor is one of the most famous goddesses of Ancient Egypt . She was known as "the Great One of Many Names" and her titles and attributes are so numerous that she was important in every area of the life and death of the ancient Egyptians. It is thought that her worship was widespread even in the Predynastic period because she appears on the Narmer palette. However, some scholars suggest that the cow-headed goddess depicted on the palette is in fact Bat (an ancient cow goddess who was largely absorbed by Hathor) or even Narmer himself. However, she was certainly popular by the Old Kingdom as she appears with Bast in the valley temple of Khafre at Giza . Hathor represents Upper Egypt and Bast represents Lower Egypt .

She was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was considered to be the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow (linking her with Nut , Bat and Mehet-Weret). As time passed she absorbed the attributes of many other goddesses but also became more closely associated with Isis , who to some degree usurped her position as the most popular and powerful goddess. Yet she remained popular throughout Egyptian history. More festivals were dedicated to her and more children were named after her than any other god or goddess of Ancient Egypt . Her worship was not confined to Egypt and Nubia. She was worshipped throughout Semitic West Asia, Ethiopian, Somlia and Libya, but was particularly venerated in the city of Byblos. She was a sky goddess, known as "Lady of Stars" and "Sovereign of Stars" and linked to Sirius (and so the goddesses Sopdet and Isis ). Her birthday was celebrated on the day that Sirius first rose in the sky (heralding the coming innundation). By the Ptolemaic period, she was known as the goddess of Hethara, the third month of the Egyptian calendar .

As "the Mistress of Heaven" she was associated with Nut , Mut and the Queen. While as "the Celestial Nurse" she nursed the Pharaoh in the guise of a cow or as a sycamore fig (because it exudes a white milky substance). As "the Mother of Mothers" she was the goddess of women, fertility, children and childbirth. She had power over anything having to do with women from problems with conception or childbirth, to health and beauty and matters of the heart. However, she was not exclusively worshipped by women and unlike the other gods and goddesses she had both male and female priests. Hathor was also the goddess of beauty and patron of the cosmetic arts. Her traditional votive offering was two mirrors and she was often depicted on mirrors and cosmetic palettes. Yet she was not considered to be vain or shallow, rather she was assured of her own beauty and goodness and loved beautiful and good things. She was known as "the mistress of life" and was seen as the embodiment of joy, love, romance, perfume, dance, music and alcohol.

Hathor was especially connected with the fragrance of myrrh incense , which was considered to be very precious and to embody all of the finer qualities of the female sex. Hathor was associated with turquoise, malachite, gold and copper. As "the Mistress of Turquoise" and the "lady of Malachite" she was the patron of miners and the goddess of the Sinai Peninsula (the location of the famous mines). The Egyptians used eye makeup made from ground malachite which had a protective function (in fighting eye infections) which was attributed to Hathor. She was the patron of dancers and was associated with percussive music, particularly the sistrum (which was also a fertility fetish). She was also associated with the Menit necklace (which may also have been a percussion instrument) and was often known as "the Great Menit". Many of her priests were artisans, musicians, and dancers who added to the quality of life of the Egyptians and worshipped her by expressing their artistic natures. Hathor was the incarnation of dance and sexuality and was given the epithet "Hand of God" (refering to the act of masturbation) and "Lady of the Vulva".

One myth tells that Ra had become so despondent that he refused to speak to anyone. Hathor (who never suffered depression or doubt) danced before him exposing her private parts, which caused him to laugh out loud and return to good spirits. As the "lady of the west" and the "lady of the southern sycamore" she protected and assisted the dead on their final journey. Trees were not commonplace in ancient Egypt, and their shade was welcomed by the living and the dead alike. She was sometimes depicted as handing out water to the deceased from a sycamore tree (a role formerly associated with Amentet who was often described as the daughter of Hathor) and according to myth, she (or Isis) used the milk from the Sycamore tree to restore sight to Horus who had been blinded by Set . Because of her role in helping the dead, she often appears on sarcophagi with Nut (the former on top of the lid, the later under the lid). She occassionally took the form of the "Seven Hathors" who were associated with fate and fortune telling.

It was thought that the "Seven Hathors" knew the length of every childs life from the day it was born and questioned the dead souls as they travelled to the land of the dead. Her priests could read the fortune of a newborn child, and act as oracles to explain the dreams of the people. People would travel for miles to beseech the goddess for protection, assistance and inspiration. The "Seven Hathors" were worshiped in seven cities: Waset (Thebes), Iunu (On, Heliopolis), Aphroditopolis, Sinai, Momemphis, Herakleopolis, and Keset. They may have been linked to the constellations Pleiades. However, she was also a goddess of destruction in her role as the Eye of Ra - defender of the sun god. According to legend, people started to criticise Ra when he ruled as Pharaoh. Ra decided to send his "eye" against them (in the form of Sekhmet ). She began to slaughter people by the hundred. When Ra relented and asked her to stop she refused as she was in a blood lust.

The only way to stop the slaughter was to colour beer red (to resemble blood) and pour the mixture over the killing fields. When she drank the beer, she became drunk and drowsy, and slept for three days. When she awoke with a hangover she had no taste for human flesh and mankind was saved. Ra renamed her Hathor and she became a goddess of love and happiness. As a result, soldiers also prayed to Hathor/Sekhmet to give them her strength and focus in battle. Her husband Horus the elder was associated with the pharaoh, so Hathor was associated with the Queen. Her name is translated as "The House of Horus", which refers both to the sky (where Horus lived as a Hawk) and to the royal family. She had a son named Ihy (who was a god of music and dancing) with Horus-Behdety and the three were worshipped at Denderah (Iunet). However, her family relationships became increasingly confusing as time passed.

She was probably first considered to be the wife of Horus the elder and the daughter of Ra, but when Ra and Horus were linked as the composite deity Re- Horakty she became both the wife and the daughter of Ra. This strengthened her association with Isis , who was the mother of Horus the child by Osiris . In Hermopolis (Khmunu) Thoth was the foremost god, and Hathor was considered to be his wife and the mother of Re-Horakhty (a composite deity which merged Ra with Hor-akhty ). Of course, Thoth already had a wife, Seshat (the goddess of reading, writing, architecture and arithmetic), so Hathor absorbed her role including acting as a witness at the judgement of the dead. Her role in welcoming the dead gained her a further husband - Nehebkau (the guardian of the entrance of the underworld). Then when Ra and Amun merged, Hathor became seen as the wife of Sobek who was considered to be an aspect of Amen-Ra. Yet Sobek was also associated with Seth , the enemy of Horus!

She took the form of a woman, goose, cat, lion, malachite, sycamore fig, to name but a few. However, Hathor's most famous manifestation is as a cow and even when she appears as a woman she has either the ears of a cow, or a pair of elegant horns. When she is depicted as entirely a cow, she always has beautifully painted eyes. She was often depicted in red (the color of passion) though her sacred color is turquoise. It is also interesting to note that only she and the dwarf god Bes (who also had a role in childbirth) were ever depicted in portrait (rather than in profile). Isis borrowed many of her functions and adapted her iconography to the extent that it is often difficult to be sure which of the two goddesses is depicted. However, the two deities were not the same. Isis was in many ways a more complex deity who suffered the death of her husband and had to fight to protect her infant son, so she understood the trials and tribulations of the people and could relate to them. Hathor, on the other hand, was the embodiment of power and success and did not experience doubts.

While Isis was merciful, Hathor was single minded in pursuit of her goals. When she took the form of Sekhmet , she did not take pity on the people and even refused to stop killing when ordered to do so. copyright J Hill 2010 List of 15 Most Worshiped Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses - History Lists HISTORY LISTS You are here: History Lists · Other · List of 15 Most Worshiped Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses List of 15 Most Worshiped Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses Portrayed with animal heads atop human bodies, ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses dominated every aspect of life of both royalty and ordinary people. The culture of ancient Egypt was based upon the belief in a pantheon of these strange looking creatures who were worshiped in temples throughout Egypt with an aim to gain their favor. The following is a list of fifteen most popular ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. Osiris Osiris was a wise king who was married to his sister Isis. When he was murdered by their evil brother Seth, she used magic to bring him back to life to conceive a son, Horus who revenged his father’s death and killed his uncle.

His son became the king of Egypt, while Osiris became the king of the dead and the judge of the underworld. Egyptians thus saw him as triumphant over death; every pharaoh would be Osiris after death whilst he was the embodiment of Horus when alive. Osiris was also the god of vegetation and was often painted with green skin, symbolizing new growth and renewal. Isis Isis was the ultimate goddess for she was the mother of Horus and both wife and sister of Osiris. When her beloved husband was murdered by their brother Seth, she collected the dismembered parts of Osiris’ body and put them together with bandages, laying the foundation for the ancient Egyptian practice of mummifying their deceased. By bringing Osiris back to life, Isis also introduced the concept of resurrection that profoundly influenced other religions as well, including Christianity. Isis, portrayed as a woman holding an Ankh in her hand and sometimes with a female body and cow’s head or cow’s horns was also worshiped as goddess of fertility. Horus One of the most important ancient Egyptian gods was the son of Osiris and Isis.

According to the famous myth, he revenged his father’s murder and killed his uncle Seth by which he established himself as the new king of Egypt. The early Egyptian pharaohs therefore legitimized their rule by presenting themselves as incarnated Horus. Also worshiped as the god of light and sky, Horus was usually depicted as a falcon-headed male creature wearing a white and red crown. Thoth The god of wisdom, writing and magic was most often portrayed as an ibis-headed man. Thoth was the scribe of the underworld who recorded the verdict on the deceased in the Hall of Maat, maintained the library of the gods, authored the spells in “The Book of the Dead” and wrote “The Book of Thoth” (containing the secrets of the universe). But he also played an important role in many ancient Egyptian myths, acting as an arbiter between the forces of good and evil. Ra Ra or Re was the sun god and one of the most important ancient Egyptian deities. He was also associated with pyramid building and the resurrection of the pharaohs. Symbolically born every morning with sunrise, Ra symbolically died with every sunset after which he began his journey into the underworld.

In the later period, Ra became closely associated with Horus and just like the latter, he was usually portrayed as a falcon-headed man. However, rather than with white and red crown, Ra was depicted wearing a solar disc on his head.. Seth Seth or Set was the god of desert and storms who later also became associated with chaos and darkness. He was painted as a man with the head of a dog with a long snout and forked tail but he was sometimes also depicted as pig, crocodile, scorpion and hippopotamus. Seth is also one of the leading characters of the legend of Osiris and Isis, and as a result of the growing popularity of the Osiris cult, Seth became demonized and his images were removed from the temples. In some parts of ancient Egypt, however, he continued to be worshiped as one the chief deities. Mut As the wife of Amon and mother of Khons, Mut was one of the chief Theban gods.

Venerated as the great divine mother, Mut was usually depicted as a woman wearing a white and red crown but she was sometimes also portrayed with the head or body of a vulture and as a cow because in the later period, she merged with Hathor, another great divine mother who was usually depicted as a woman with cow horns and as a cow. Bastet Bastet was a feline goddess who was depicted either as a cat or woman with the head of a cat. She was the daughter of the sun god Ra and was closely associated with domesticated cat. Bastet was worshiped for her maternal, protective nature and was often painted surrounded by kittens. But she was also believed to be ferocious when necessary for cats were able to kill snakes - one the most deadly creatures in ancient Egypt. Amun Amun or Amon which translates into “The Hidden One” was the head of the Theban pantheon of gods and goddesses. Worshiped as the king of gods (similarly as Zeus by ancient Greeks), Amun was usually painted in a human form but he was sometimes also portrayed with the ram’s head.

Like many other ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses that were eventually assimilated with their local/regional versions, Amun was later merged with Ra into Amun-Ra which remained the chief god throughout the period of ancient Egypt. Ptah Ptah began as a local god in Memphis but as the influence of Memphis expanded over Egypt, he became popular elsewhere as well. He was the creator-god and the patron deity of crafts and craftsmanship. Ptah was usually depicted as a mummified figure with his hands protruding through the bandaging to hold a staff with the symbols of dominion and stability. Wadjet Wadjet was worshiped as a cobra and was often included in royal insignia as a symbol of sovereignty over Egypt. She was seen as the protector of the living Horus – the pharaoh. Wadjet was painted as poised and ready to strike at any potential enemy of the pharaoh. She was sometimes also depicted as a woman with two snake heads. Depiction of Wadjet with a sun disc is known as the uraneus, a popular emblem adorning the crowns of ancient Egypt rulers.

Hathor Hathor was the cow goddess who was associated with dancing and music but she was also known as the Lady of Heaven, Earth and the Underworld. She was very popular among ancient Egyptians and was seen as wise, gentle and affectionate to both the living and dead. She protected women during pregnancy and childbirth, and was also worshiped as goddess as fertility. Hathor was most often portrayed as a woman with cow horns featuring uraneus (Wadjet and sun disc). Sekhmet Sekhmet was the goddess of war who was depicted as the lion-headed goddess. She was the “Powerful One” and destroyed the enemies of Ra but she also helped kings against their opponents. Sekhmet was also associated with medicine and both disease and health. Her portrayal as a lioness or lion-headed woman often included the uraneus, a symbol of royalty and divine authority of the Egyptian pharaohs. Anubis Anubis was a jackal-headed god, the divine embalmer who was closely associated with mummification and the afterlife; he was the custodian of the dead on their journey into the afterlife.

Anubis’ black skin (a color associated with the dark Nile deposits that made farming in ancient Egypt so successful) was a symbol of rebirth. He also attended the “Weighting of the Heart” ceremony in the afterlife. Maat Maat was the personification and goddess of truth, morality, justice, order, and harmony. She symbolized the natural equilibrium of the universe; she was the opposite of chaos and therefore the highest attainment of Egypt. The “Weighing of the Heart” ceremony as depicted in the Book of the Dead took place in the Hall of Maat. She was typically portrayed as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head. Hathor - Ancient History Encyclopedia Hathor by Joshua J. Mark published on 02 September 2009 Hathor is an ancient Egyptian goddess associated, later, with Isis and, earlier, with Sekhmet but eventually was considered the primeval goddess from whom all others were derived. She is usually depicted as a woman with the head of a cow, ears of a cow, or simply in cow form. In her form as Hesat she is shown as a pure white cow carrying a tray of food on her head as her udders flow with milk.

She is closely associated with the primeval divine cow Mehet-Weret, a sky goddess whose name means "Great Flood" and who was thought to bring the inundation of the Nile River which fertilized the land. Through this association, Hathor came to be regarded as the mother of the sun god Ra and held a prominent place in his barge as it sailed across the night sky, into the underworld, and rose again at dawn. Her name means "Domain of Horus " or " Temple of Horus" which alludes to two concepts. The first allusion is to the part of the sky where the king (or dead king) could be rejuvenated and continue rule (or live again) while the second is to the myth that Horus, as sun god, entered her mouth each night to rest and returned with the dawn. In both cases, her name has to do with re-birth, rejuvenation, inspiration, and light. Her relationship with the sky identified her with Venus , the evening and morning star. Remove Ads Advertisement The sistrum is her instrument which she used to drive evil from the land and inspire goodness.

She is the patron goddess of joy, celebration, and love and was associated with Aphrodite by the Greeks and with Venus by the Romans. She was always, from the earliest times, associated with women and women's health in body and in mind. In time, women came to identify with Hathor in the afterlife the same way that, previously, all people identified with the god Osiris . She was an immensely popular and influential goddess. Scholar Geraldine Pinch comments on this, writing : Hathor was the golden goddess who helped women to give birth, the dead to be reborn, and the cosmos to be renewed. This complex deity could function as the mother, consort, and daughter of the creator god. Many lesser goddesses came to be regarded as "names" of Hathor in her contrasting benevolent and destructive aspects. She was most commonly shown as a beautiful woman wearing a red solar disk between a pair of cow's horns (137). The red solar disk, as well as a number of Hathor's personal attributes, would come to be associated with the later goddess Isis. In time, Isis absorbed more and more of the characteristics of Hathor until she supplanted her as the most popular and widely worshipped in Egypt .

Mythical Origins Although in time she came to be considered the ultimate personification of kindness and love, she was initially literally a blood-thirsty deity unleashed on mankind to punish humans for their sins. An ancient tale similar to that of the biblical flood tells of the great god Ra becoming enraged at human ingratitude and evil and releasing Sekhmet upon humanity to destroy them. Sekhmet descends on the world in a fury of destruction, killing everyone she finds and toppling their cities , crushing their homes and tearing up fields and gardens. At first, Ra is pleased because humanity had forgotten him and the gifts of the gods and had turned to only thinking of themselves and following after their own pleasure. He watches Sekhmet's swath of destruction with satisfaction until the other gods intervene and ask him to show mercy. They point out that Sekhmet is going too far in teaching this "lesson" to humanity and how, soon, there will be no human beings left on earth to benefit from it. Remove Ads Advertisement Ra regrets his decision and devises a plan to stop Sekhmet's blood lust.

He orders Tenenet, the Egyptian goddess of beer , to brew a particularly strong batch and then has the beer dyed red and delivered to Dendera. Sekhmet, by this time, is crazed with the thirst for more blood and, when she comes upon the blood-red beer, she quickly seizes it and begins drinking. She becomes drunk, falls asleep, and wakes up as Hathor the benevolent. Humanity was spared destruction and their former tormentor became their greatest benefactress. Following her transformation, Hathor bestowed only beautiful and uplifting gifts on the children of the earth and assumed such high status that all the later goddesses of Egypt can be considered forms of Hathor. She was the primordial Mother Goddess, ruler of the sky, the sun, the moon, agriculture, fertility, the east, the west, moisture and childbirth. Further, she was associated with joy, music, love, motherhood, dance, drunkeness and, above all, gratitude. Advertisement Worship of Hathor Hathor's cult center was at Dendera, Egypt, but she was widely regarded and worshipped throughout Egypt.

Unlike other deities of ancient Egypt, whose clergy needed to be of the same sex as the deity they served, those who served Hathor could be men or women. Hathor's cult center was at Dendera, Egypt, but she was widely regarded and worshipped throughout Egypt to the extent that she was also honored as a goddess of the afterlife in the Field of Reeds (the Egyptian land of the dead). Originally, when one died in ancient Egypt, whether male or female, one assumed the likeness of Osiris (lord and judge of the dead) and was blessed by his qualities of moral integrity. So popular was Hathor, however, that, in time, the female dead who were deemed worthy to cross into the Field of Reeds assumed Hathor's likeness and qualities while the male dead continued to be associated with Osiris. Geraldine Pinch writes: The Coffin Texts and the Book of the Dead have spells to help the deceased live forever as a follower of Hathor. In a Late Period story, Hathor rules the underworld, emerging to punish those who behave unjustly on earth. By the Greco- Roman period, dead women in the afterlife identified themselves with Hathor instead of Osiris.

It was only after Isis took over many of her attributes that Hathor lost her place as the most important of Egyptian goddesses (139). Hathor's popularity is attested to by the number of minor goddesses who shared her attributes and were considered aspects of the Mother Goddess. The most important of these were the Seven Hathors who were present at the birth of a human being and decreed their fate. Hathor was, in early times, worshipped in the form of a cow or as a cow with stars above her. Later she was pictured as a woman with the head of a cow and, later still, as a woman complete with a human face but sometimes with the ears or horns of a cow. The Seven Hathors shared these attributes but also had a red ribbon which they used to bind evil forces and dark demons. The Seven Hathors were venerated highly in life for their ability to assist in matters of love and protection from harm and, after death, for their protective abilities against the forces of darkness. As a goddess who transcended life and death, Hathor was widely worshipped and came to be idenified with a deity inscriptions call The Distant Goddess.

This is a goddess who abandons her father Ra and assumes the form of a wild feline to elude any attempts to find her or catch her. She vanishes into the distant desert and hides in the arid plains. This goddess was identified with Mehit, a protective goddess, with Sekhmet, Bastet , Mut, and others but quite often with Hathor. A god is sent forth by Ra to find his daughter and bring her home and, when this happens, she brings with her the inundation of the Nile River which overflowed its banks and brought life to the people. Before she released the life-giving waters, however, she had to be placated and shown appreciation. Geraldine Pinch writes: When the Distant Goddess returned, she brought the inundation with her, but she had to be pacified with music, dancing, feasting, and drunkenness. This was the mythical justification for the wild, ecstatic elements in Hathor's cult. It was proper for the whole of creation to rejoice when Hathor appeared again in all her radiant beauty and joined forces with her father (138).

Pinch notes that this union of Hathor and her creator-father "could be thought of in sexual terms or, more abstractly, as a merging of the creator with his own active power" (138). An example of this is the role Hathor plays in one of the versions of the story of The Contendings of Horus and Set which continues the tale of the Osiris Myth. Hathor and The Osiris Myth After Set murdered Osiris and then hacked him into pieces, he scattered the body parts all across the land and flung some into the Nile. Isis gathered all the parts of her husband back together with the help of her sister Nephthys and brought Osiris back to life but he was incomplete because a fish had eaten his penis and it could not be restored. Isis then transformed herself into a kite (a falcon) and flew around Osiris' body, drawing his seed into her and becoming pregnant with Horus. Osiris then descended into the underworld to become Lord of the Dead while Isis was left alone to raise her son and Set usurped Osiris' place as king of the land.

Isis hid Horus from Set until the boy was grown; at which point Horus challenged Set for rule of the land. This struggle is sometimes represented as a battle but, in the story known as The Contendings of Horus and Set, it is a trial overseen by the Ennead, a tribunal of nine powerful gods, who are to decide who is rightful king. Chief among these gods is Hathor's father Ra who, at one point becomes so upset with the proceedings, he refuses to participate. Geraldine Pinch relates the rest of the story: Ra becomes angry when he is insulted by the baboon god Babi and lies down on his back. This implies that the creator sun god was sinking back into the inert state that would mean the end of the world. Hathor, Lady of the Southern Sycamore, visits her father and shows him her genitals. He immediately laughs, gets up, and goes back to administering justice. Hathor has aroused the sun god and driven away his evil mood (138). Although clearly a sexual gesture, the abstract interpretation is of the importance of balance between the feminine and the masculine principles in maintaining order and harmony.

Hathor reveals herself to her father in an unexpected gesture which lightens his mood and puts things in perspective. The balance between the duality of feminine and the masculine, between light and dark, fertility and aridity is emphasized throughout Egyptian culture in the gods and the myths relating to them. Hathor and the Eye of Ra This balance is seen in the concept of the Eye of Ra, the female conterpart to the male aspect of creation embodied in Ra. The Eye of Ra, like the Distant Goddess, was associated with a number of female deities but, again, often Hathor. Geraldine Pinch notes that "the ancient Egyptian word for eye (irt) sounded like a word for "doing" or "acting". This may be why the eyes of a deity are associated with divine power at its most interventional. Since the word irt was feminine in gender, divine eyes were personified as goddesses" (128). The Distant Goddess story is actually an Eye of Ra story in that the feminine aspect of the divine goes forth, acts upon its environment, and returns to bring transformation.

This same pattern is seen in the creation tale featuring Atum (Ra) and the ben-ben when he sends his children out with his eye to create the world. Hathor was often referred to as "The Eye of Ra" or "The Eye of Atum" and her sun disk is often represented as an eye from which the sun is born. In the story of the sun god's voyage through the night sky and the underworld, Hathor stands in the prow keeping watch for any sign of danger from Apophis. Throughout Egyptian history she was known as the daughter of Nut and Ra, Wife of Ra, mother of gods, and great Mother Goddess (perhaps related to the even older goddess Neith ) so it is no surprise that popular stories such as the Distant Goddess or concepts like the Eye of Ra would tend to feature her. Some ancient stories depict her as the mother of Horus the Elder and others as the wife of Horus of Edfu, resulting in the birth of Horus the Younger who was later regarded as the son of Osiris and Isis.

Hathor's early identification as the mother of Horus, the god most closely associated with the ruler of Egypt, attests clearly to her importance prior to the rise in popularity of the Myth of Osiris when Isis became Horus' mother. Hathor was worshipped in every region of Egypt before the ascent of Isis and her cult was popular with both the poor working class of Egypt and the ruling elite. The Five Gifts of Hathor A part of the initiation into her cult appears to have been a ritual known as The Five Gifts of Hathor in which a communicant would be asked to name the five things they were most grateful for while looking at the fingers of their left hand. As the poor of Egypt did not own their own land, but labored for others in the fields, their left hand was always visible to them as they reached out to harvest grain which would then be cut by the blade in their right hand. By naming the five things one was grateful for, and identifying them with the fingers of the left hand, one was constantly reminded of the good things in one's life and this kept one from the `gateway sin' of ingratitude from which, it was thought, all other sins followed.

For the more affluent of Egypt, considering the Five Gifts would have been a way to keep from envying those more prosperous than oneself and a means by which one was reminded to be humble in the face of the gods. This humility would show itself by one's service to others. Historian Margaret Bunson comments on this: In the Daily Royal Rites, as shown on temple reliefs, Hathor nursed the king or his priestly representative from her breasts, thus giving him the grace of office and the supernatural powers to protect Egypt (107). She served the king and his court as nurse and, by doing so, fed all the people of Egypt as the prosperity of the land was intimately tied to the health, well-being, and stability of the king. If a goddess of Hathor's stature could freely serve others, it was thought, so could anyone else. Hathor continued this service to humanity after death as Geraldine Pinch notes: As the goddess of the West, Hathor welcomes the setting sun into her outstretched arms. For both gods and peole, Hathor eased the transition from death to new life. The time and manner of a person's death was decreed by a sevenfold form of Hathor.

As Lady of the Necropolis, she opened the gates of the underworld. As a tree goddess, she revived the newly dead with shade, air, water, and food. The spirits of the dead could imbibe eternal life from the milk of the seven Hathor cows (138-139). Hathor's humble service is depicted through inscriptions and texts throughout Egypt's history from the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-2613 BCE) through the last dynasty to rule Egypt, the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BCE). In her earthly form as a dairy cow, Hathor was known as Hesat, the wet-nurse to the gods, and is always associated with motherhood, motherly instincts, and the care of others. Milk was known as `The beer of Hesat' and The Milky Way as seen in the night sky also came to be associated with her as it was considered a heavenly Nile River, the giver and sustainer of all life.

As mistress of song and dance, of celebration and gratitude, bringer of life and comforter in death, Hathor embodied the heavenly Nile in all ways as she brought the best gifts of the gods to the people of earth. About the Author Hathor - The Great One of Many Names | Egyptian Mythology Hathor - The Great One of Many Names People Category: Egyptian Mythology Hits: 3828 Hathor - The Great One of Many Names Hathor is one of the most ancient Egyptian goddesses. She was known as "the Great One of Many Names" and her titles and attributes are so numerous that she was important in every area of the life and death of the ancient Egyptians. It is thought that her worship was widespread even in the Predynastic period because she appears on the Narmer palette. However, some scholars suggest that the cow-headed goddess depicted on the palette is in fact Bat (an ancient cow goddess who was largely absorbed by Hathor) or even Narmer himself. However, she was certainly popular by the Old Kingdom as she appears with Bast in the valley temple of Khafre at Giza. Hathor represents Upper Egypt and Bast represents Lower Egypt.

She was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was considered to be the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow (linking her with Nut, Bat and Mehet-Weret). As time passed she absorbed the attributes of many other goddesses but also became more closely associated with Isis, who to some degree usurped her position as the most popular and powerful goddess. Yet she remained popular throughout Egyptian history. More festivals were dedicated to her and more children were named after her than any other god or goddess. Her worship was not confined to Egypt and Nubia. She was worshipped throughout Semitic West Asia, Ethiopian, Somlia and Libya, but was particularly venerated in the city of Byblos. She was a sky goddess, known as "Lady of Stars" and "Sovereign of Stars" and linked to Sirius (and so the goddesses Sopdet and Isis). Her birthday was celebrated on the day that Sirius first rose in the sky (heralding the coming innundation). By the Ptolemaic period, she was known as the goddess of Hethara, the third month of the Egyptian calendar.

As "the Mistress of Heaven" she was associated with Nut, Mut and the Queen. While as "the Celestial Nurse" she nursed the Pharaoh in the guise of a cow or as a sycamore fig (because it exudes a white milky substance). As "the Mother of Mothers" she was the goddess of women, fertility, children and childbirth. She had power over anything having to do with women from problems with conception or childbirth, to health and beauty and matters of the heart. However, she was not exclusively worshipped by women and unlike the other gods and goddesses she had both male and female priests. Hathor was also the goddess of beauty and patron of the cosmetic arts. Her traditional votive offering was two mirrors and she was often depicted on mirrors and cosmetic palettes. Yet she was not considered to be vain or shallow, rather she was assured of her own beauty and goodness and loved beautiful and good things. She was known as "the mistress of life" and was seen as the embodiment of joy, love, romance, perfume, dance, music and alcohol.

Hathor was especially connected with the fragrance of myrrh incense, which was considered to be very precious and to embody all of the finer qualities of the female sex. Hathor was associated with turquoise, malachite, gold and copper. As "the Mistress of Turquoise" and the "lady of Malachite" she was the patron of miners and the goddess of the Sinai Peninsula (the location of the famous mines). The Egyptians used eye makeup made from ground malachite which had a protective function (in fighting eye infections) which was attributed to Hathor. She was the patron of dancers and was associated with percussive music, particularly the sistrum (which was also a fertility fetish). She was also associated with the Menit necklace (which may also have been a percussion instrument) and was often known as "the Great Menit". Many of her priests were artisans, musicians, and dancers who added to the quality of life of the Egyptians and worshipped her by expressing their artistic natures. Hathor was the incarnation of dance and sexuality and was given the epithet "Hand of God" (referring to the act of masturbation) and "Lady of the Vulva".

One myth tells that Ra had become so despondent that he refused to speak to anyone. Hathor (who never suffered depression or doubt) danced before him exposing her private parts, which caused him to laugh out loud and return to good spirits. As the "lady of the west" and the "lady of the southern sycamore" she protected and assisted the dead on their final journey. Trees were not commonplace in ancient Egypt, and their shade was welcomed by the living and the dead alike. She was sometimes depicted as handing out water to the deceased from a sycamore tree (a role formerly associated with Amentet who was often described as the daughter of Hathor) and according to myth, she (or Isis) used the milk from the Sycamore tree to restore sight to Horus who had been blinded by Set. Because of her role in helping the dead, she often appears on sarcophagi with Nut (the former on top of the lid, the later under the lid). She occasionally took the form of the "Seven Hathors" who were associated with fate and fortune telling.

It was thought that the "Seven Hathors" knew the length of every childs life from the day it was born and questioned the dead souls as they travelled to the land of the dead. Her priests could read the fortune of a newborn child, and act as oracles to explain the dreams of the people. People would travel for miles to beseech the goddess for protection, assistance and inspiration. The "Seven Hathors" were worshiped in seven cities: Waset (Thebes), Iunu (On, Heliopolis), Aphroditopolis, Sinai, Momemphis, Herakleopolis, and Keset. They may have been linked to the constellations Pleiades. However, she was also a goddess of destruction in her role as the Eye of Ra - defender of the sun god. According to legend, people started to criticize Ra when he ruled as Pharaoh. Ra decided to send his "eye" against them (in the form of Sekhmet). She began to slaughter people by the hundred. When Ra relented and asked her to stop she refused as she was in a blood lust.

The only way to stop the slaughter was to colour beer red (to resemble blood) and pour the mixture over the killing fields. When she drank the beer, she became drunk and drowsy, and slept for three days. When she awoke with a hangover she had no taste for human flesh and mankind was saved. Ra renamed her Hathor and she became a goddess of love and happiness. As a result, soldiers also prayed to Hathor/Sekhmet to give them her strength and focus in battle. Her husband Horus the elder was associated with the pharaoh, so Hathor was associated with the Queen. Her name is translated as "The House of Horus", which refers both to the sky (where Horus lived as a Hawk) and to the royal family. She had a son named Ihy (who was a god of music and dancing) with Horus-Behdety and the three were worshipped at Denderah (Iunet). However, her family relationships became increasingly confusing as time passed.

She was probably first considered to be the wife of Horus the elder and the daughter of Ra, but when Ra and Horus were linked as the composite deity Re-Horakty she became both the wife and the daughter of Ra. This strengthened her association with Isis, who was the mother of Horus the child by Osiris. In Hermopolis (Khmunu) Thoth was the foremost god, and Hathor was considered to be his wife and the mother of Re-Horakhty (a composite deity which merged Ra with Hor-akhty). Of course, Thoth already had a wife, Seshat (the goddess of reading, writing, architecture and arithmetic), so Hathor absorbed her role including acting as a witness at the judgement of the dead. Her role in welcoming the dead gained her a further husband - Nehebkau (the guardian of the entrance of the underworld). Then when Ra and Amun merged, Hathor became seen as the wife of Sobek who was considered to be an aspect of Amen-Ra. Yet Sobek was also associated with Seth, the enemy of Horus!

She took the form of a woman, goose, cat, lion, malachite, sycamore fig, to name but a few. However, Hathor's most famous manifestation is as a cow and even when she appears as a woman she has either the ears of a cow, or a pair of elegant horns. When she is depicted as entirely a cow, she always has beautifully painted eyes. She was often depicted in red (the color of passion) though her sacred color is turquoise. It is also interesting to note that only she and the dwarf god Bes (who also had a role in childbirth) were ever depicted in portrait (rather than in profile). Isis borrowed many of her functions and adapted her iconography to the extent that it is often difficult to be sure which of the two goddesses is depicted. However, the two deities were not the same. Isis was in many ways a more complex deity who suffered the death of her husband and had to fight to protect her infant son, so she understood the trials and tribulations of the people and could relate to them. Hathor, on the other hand, was the embodiment of power and success and did not experience doubts.

While Isis was merciful, Hathor was single minded in pursuit of her goals. When she took the form of Sekhmet, she did not take pity on the people and even refused to stop killing when ordered to do so.

Question: In Egyptian mythology, what was the name of the cow- headed goddess of love?
Answer: HATHOR