Hapi (Nile god)
Mythology
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The annual flooding of the Nile occasionally was said to be the Arrival of Hapi.[1] Since this flooding provided fertile soil in an area that was otherwise desert, Hapi symbolised fertility. He had large female breasts because he was said to bring a rich and nourishing harvest. Due to his fertile nature he was sometimes considered the "father of the gods",[1] and was considered to be a caring father who helped to maintain the balance of the cosmos, the world or universe regarded as an orderly, harmonious system.[1] He was thought to live within a cavern at the supposed source of the Nile near Aswan.[4] The cult of Hapi was mainly located at the First Cataract named Elephantine. His priests were involved in rituals to ensure the steady levels of flow required from the annual flood. At Elephantine the official nilometer, a measuring device, was carefully monitored to predict the level of the flood, and his priests must have been intimately concerned with its monitoring.
Hapi was not regarded as the god of the Nile itself but of the inundation event.[1] He was also considered a "friend of Geb", the Egyptian god of the earth,[5] and the "lord of Neper", the god of grain.[6]
Iconography
Although
Gallery
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An engraving of Hapi -
Statues of King Horemheb depicting Hapi, 18th Dynasty -
Upper part of a statue of the Nile God Hapi. From Faiyum, Egypt, 12th Dynasty, c. 1800 BCE. Neues Museum, Berlin -
Limestone slab showing the Nile God Hapi. 12th Dynasty. From the foundations of the temple of Thutmose III at Koptos, Egypt. Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London -
Hapi is featured on the £E5 note.
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References
- ^ a b c d e Wilkinson, p.106
- ^ a b c d Wilkinson, p.107
- ^ "15 LGBT Egyptian Gods". www.advocate.com. 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2022-12-25.
- ^ Wilkinson, p.108
- ^ Wilkinson, p.105
- ^ Wilkinson, p.117
- ^ Desmond Stewart, Wonders of Man The Pyramids and the Sphinx pg.99
- ^ "The Nile Bride sacrifice is a big myth, says Egyptologist". Masress.
Works cited
- ISBN 978-0-500-05120-7.
Further reading
- Bonneau, Danielle (1964). La Crue du Nil: Divinité égyptienne, à travers mille ans d'histoire 332 av.–641 ap. J.–C., d'après les auteurs grecs et latins (in French). C. Klincksieck.
External links
