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In Egyptian mythology, Hathor ("the house of Horus") was an extremely popular fertility goddess, associated with the cow. Her name refers to her position as the celestial cow which encircles the sky and hawk god, Horus. She was also a goddess of royalty. Her cult was centered in Dendera and was led by priests who were also dancers, singers or other artists, for she was a goddess of art as well. Her priests were also oracles and midwives. She was the mother of Ihy and of Horus. Some academics have suggested a sacred marriage between Hathor and Horus as part of the annual festival at Luxor.
In earlier Egyptian mythology, Hathor was portrayed as a cow with a stylized sun between her horns, or a woman wearing a headdress with horns, the stylized sun and sometimes a uraeus. One of the myths of Hathor sees her as the wandering eye of Amun, which he replaced, when Hathor returned he made her into his uraeus. In addition to the cow, Hathor was associated with falcons, cobras, lionesses and hippopotami.
She was associated with the menat, the sistrum (a type of rattle), and mirrors, as well as the goddess Sekhmet, Bata and Bastet. She was eventually identified with Isis.
Hathor was both the daughter and wife of Ra. Hathor and Ra once argued, and she left Egypt. Ra quickly decided he missed her, but she changed into a cat that destroyed any man or god that approached. Thoth, disguised, eventually succeeded in convincing her to return.
Other names
- Athor
- Het-Hert
- Het-Heru
- Hwt-Hert
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