Heqet (Egyptianḥqt, also ḥqtyt "Heqtit"), sometimes spelled Heket, is an Egyptian goddess of fertility, identified with Hathor, represented in the form of a frog. [1] To the Egyptians, the frog was an ancient symbol of fertility, related to the annual flooding of the Nile. Heqet was originally the female counterpart of Khnum, or the wife of Khnum by whom she became the mother of Her-ur.[2] It has been proposed that her name is the origin of the name of Hecate, the Greek goddess of witchcraft.
The name is written as ḥqt with the determinative "frog" (I7).[3] The phonetic spelling may use the biliteralḥq hieroglyph (S38) in place of uniliteralḥ (V28). The alternative form ḥqtyt adds an explicit feminine ending, used alongside the "egg" determinative (H8) to emphasize the deity's femininity.[2] The Middle Egyptian pronunciation of the name may have been close to /ħaˈqaːtat/, which has been proposed (among other possibilities) as the origin of the name of Greek Hecate (Ἑκάτη).[4]
Worshipedit
The beginning of her cult dates to the Early Dynastic Period at least. Her name was part of the names of some high-born Second Dynasty individuals buried at Helwan, such as prince Nisuheqet, and was mentioned on a stela of Wepemnofret and in the Pyramid Texts. Early frog statuettes are often thought to be depictions of her.[5]
Heqet was considered the wife of Khnum, who formed the bodies of new children on his potter's wheel.[6]
In the Osiris myth, it was Heqet who breathed life into the new body of Horus at birth, as she was a goddess of the last moments of birth. As the birth of Horus became more intimately associated with the resurrection of Osiris, so Heqet's role became one more closely associated with resurrection. Eventually, this association led to her amulets gaining the phrase I am the resurrection in the Christian era along with cross and lamb symbolism.[7]
As a fertility goddess, associated explicitly with the last stages of the flooding of the Nile, and so with the germination of corn, she became associated with the final stages of childbirth. This association, which appears to have arisen during the Middle Kingdom, gained her the title She who hastens the birth (cf. the role of Heqet in the story of The Birth of the Royal Children from the Westcar Papyrus).[10] Frog amulets representing Heqet were probably worn by women during childbirth to ensure an easy delivery.[11][12]
^Armour, Robert A. (2001). Gods and Myths of Ancient Egypt. American University in Cairo Press. p. 116.
^ ab"The frog appears to have been worshipped in primitive times as the symbol of generation, birth and fertility in general; the Frog-goddess Ḥeqet or Ḥeqtit was identified with Hathor, and was originally the female counterpart of Khnum, by whom she became the mother of Heru-ur. The great antiquity of the cult of the frog is proved by the fact that each of the four primeval gods, Ḥeḥ, Kek, Nāu, and Amen is depicted with the head of a frog, while his female counterpart has the head of a serpent. The cult of the frog is one of the oldest in Egypt, and the Frog-god and the Frog-goddess were believed to have played very prominent parts in the creation of the world." E. A. Wallis Budge, The Gods of the Egyptians: Or, Studies in Egyptian Mythology vol. 2 (1904), p. 378.
^Erman, Johann Peter Adolf; Grapow, Hermann, eds. (1971). Wörterbuch der aegyptischen Sprache im Auftrage der deutschen Akademien. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag GmbH. p. 169.10.
^McKechnie, Paul, and Philippe Guillaume. Ptolemy II Philadelphus and His World. Leiden: Brill, 2008. page 133.
^Wilkinson, Toby A. H. (1999). Early Dynastic Egypt. Routledge. p. 286.
^Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. p. 229
^Shier, Louise A. (1972). The Frog on Lamps from Karanis. Brill. p. 357. ISBN9004034064. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^Porter, Bertha and Moss, Rosalind. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs and Paintings, V Upper Egypt: Sites (Volume 5). Griffith Institute. 2004.
^Wilkinson, Richard H., The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt, Thames and Hudson, 2000, pp 152, ISBN0-500-05100-3
^Lichtheim, M. (1973). Ancient Egyptian Literature. Vol. 1. p. 220.
^"Frog Amulet". The Cleveland Museum of Art. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^Capel, A. K.; Markoe, G. E., eds. (1996). Mistress of the House, Mistress of Heaven. Hudson Hills Press. p. 72. ISBN1-55595-129-5.
External linksedit
Media related to Heqet at Wikimedia Commons
January 01, 1970
heqet, egyptian, ḥqt, also, ḥqtyt, heqtit, sometimes, spelled, heket, egyptian, goddess, fertility, identified, with, hathor, represented, form, frog, egyptians, frog, ancient, symbol, fertility, related, annual, flooding, nile, originally, female, counterpart. Heqet Egyptian ḥqt also ḥqtyt Heqtit sometimes spelled Heket is an Egyptian goddess of fertility identified with Hathor represented in the form of a frog 1 To the Egyptians the frog was an ancient symbol of fertility related to the annual flooding of the Nile Heqet was originally the female counterpart of Khnum or the wife of Khnum by whom she became the mother of Her ur 2 It has been proposed that her name is the origin of the name of Hecate the Greek goddess of witchcraft HeqetAnimalsFrogGenderFemaleConsortKhnum This article contains special characters Without proper rendering support you may see question marks boxes or other symbols Contents 1 Name 2 Worship 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksName editThe name is written as ḥqt with the determinative frog I7 3 The phonetic spelling may use the biliteral ḥq hieroglyph S38 in place of uniliteral ḥ V28 The alternative form ḥqtyt adds an explicit feminine ending used alongside the egg determinative H8 to emphasize the deity s femininity 2 The Middle Egyptian pronunciation of the name may have been close to ħaˈqaːtat which has been proposed among other possibilities as the origin of the name of Greek Hecate Ἑkath 4 Worship editThe beginning of her cult dates to the Early Dynastic Period at least Her name was part of the names of some high born Second Dynasty individuals buried at Helwan such as prince Nisuheqet and was mentioned on a stela of Wepemnofret and in the Pyramid Texts Early frog statuettes are often thought to be depictions of her 5 Heqet was considered the wife of Khnum who formed the bodies of new children on his potter s wheel 6 In the Osiris myth it was Heqet who breathed life into the new body of Horus at birth as she was a goddess of the last moments of birth As the birth of Horus became more intimately associated with the resurrection of Osiris so Heqet s role became one more closely associated with resurrection Eventually this association led to her amulets gaining the phrase I am the resurrection in the Christian era along with cross and lamb symbolism 7 A temple dedicated to Horus and Heqet dating to the Ptolemaic Period was found at Qus 8 9 As a fertility goddess associated explicitly with the last stages of the flooding of the Nile and so with the germination of corn she became associated with the final stages of childbirth This association which appears to have arisen during the Middle Kingdom gained her the title She who hastens the birth cf the role of Heqet in the story of The Birth of the Royal Children from the Westcar Papyrus 10 Frog amulets representing Heqet were probably worn by women during childbirth to ensure an easy delivery 11 12 Gallery edit nbsp The god Khnum accompanied by Heqet moulds Ihy in a relief from the mammisi birth temple at Dendera Temple complex nbsp Early Dynastic Period c 3000 BC frog statuette Cleveland Museum of Art References edit Armour Robert A 2001 Gods and Myths of Ancient Egypt American University in Cairo Press p 116 a b The frog appears to have been worshipped in primitive times as the symbol of generation birth and fertility in general the Frog goddess Ḥeqet or Ḥeqtit was identified with Hathor and was originally the female counterpart of Khnum by whom she became the mother of Heru ur The great antiquity of the cult of the frog is proved by the fact that each of the four primeval gods Ḥeḥ Kek Nau and Amen is depicted with the head of a frog while his female counterpart has the head of a serpent The cult of the frog is one of the oldest in Egypt and the Frog god and the Frog goddess were believed to have played very prominent parts in the creation of the world E A Wallis Budge The Gods of the Egyptians Or Studies in Egyptian Mythology vol 2 1904 p 378 Erman Johann Peter Adolf Grapow Hermann eds 1971 Worterbuch der aegyptischen Sprache im Auftrage der deutschen Akademien Berlin Akademie Verlag GmbH p 169 10 McKechnie Paul and Philippe Guillaume Ptolemy II Philadelphus and His World Leiden Brill 2008 page 133 Wilkinson Toby A H 1999 Early Dynastic Egypt Routledge p 286 Wilkinson Richard H 2003 The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt Thames amp Hudson p 229 Shier Louise A 1972 The Frog on Lamps from Karanis Brill p 357 ISBN 9004034064 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Porter Bertha and Moss Rosalind Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts Reliefs and Paintings V Upper Egypt Sites Volume 5 Griffith Institute 2004 Wilkinson Richard H The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt Thames and Hudson 2000 pp 152 ISBN 0 500 05100 3 Lichtheim M 1973 Ancient Egyptian Literature Vol 1 p 220 Frog Amulet The Cleveland Museum of Art 30 October 2018 Retrieved 4 November 2021 Capel A K Markoe G E eds 1996 Mistress of the House Mistress of Heaven Hudson Hills Press p 72 ISBN 1 55595 129 5 External links edit nbsp Media related to Heqet at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Heqet amp oldid 1214532342, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
