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In Egyptian mythology,
Hatmehit, or Hatmehyt was a fish-goddess, originally a deification
of the Nile, by the people in the area around Mendes. Her name
translates as House of Mehit, implying she may have some connection
to Hathor, who also went by the name
Mehit, meaning great flood. This may possibly be due to being
seen as a remnant of the primal waters of creation. In art she
was depicted either as a fish, or with a fish on her head.
When the cult of Osiris arose, the
people of Mendes reacted by identifying Osiris
as having achieved his authority by being the husband of Hatmehit.
In particular, it was the ba of Osiris,
known as Banebjed (literally meaning Ba of the lord of the
djed - referring to Osiris), that
was said to have married Hatmehit. When Horus
became considered the son of Osiris,
a form known as Harpocrates (Har-pa-khered in Egyptian), Hatmehit
was consequently said to be his mother. As wife of Osiris,
and mother of Horus, she eventually
became identified as a form of Isis.
Gods
and Goddesses Menu
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