Goddess Hathor: History, myths and many curiosities

Goddess Hathor is one of the most popular deities in Egyptian mythology, worshiped by royalty, nobility and even commoners. Her importance lies in her power as the goddess of the skies and the sun, of love, motherhood and beauty.

Also known as the “Lady of the West”, it is the goddess Hathor who welcomes the dead in the passage to the other world. In addition, as the goddess of joy, Hathor is the patroness of music, dance, as well as pregnant women and miners.

Want to know more about the history and characteristics of the Goddess Hathor? So, stick around and discover all the curiosities of the most important Egyptian deity in Ancient Egypt.

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Who is the Goddess Hathor?

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The name Hathor in Egyptian means “house of Horus” (Egyptian god of the heavens and the living) and this shows why she was one of the main goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Worshiped as the goddess of fertility, joy, music, dance and beauty, Hathor was not always seen as a kind goddess. In fact, her first identity was with the goddess of destruction.

According to their myth, disappointed in humanity, Ra (god of the sun) ordered Hathor (in the role of Sekhmet) to devour all people. She did it with the pleasure of destruction.

However, when Ra asked him to stop, Sekhmet did not respect his request. It was then that Ra decided to trick Sekhmet by getting her drunk and turning her into Hathor, the cow goddess of pleasure and love.

The relationship between the Goddess Hathor and Ra has always been very complex, as some historians claim that she is the eye of Ra, like a daughter. However, there are experts in Egyptian mythology who believe that she represents the mother and wife of Ra.

As a mother, Hathor gives birth to Ra every morning, while as a wife, she conceives him through their relationship every night. Therefore, it is in this context that the representation of the cow goddess appears.

In addition, the goddess assumed 3 other personifications adopting the characteristics of animals.

Personifications of the Goddess Hathor:

• Hathor lioness: the goddess of destruction of Ra;
• Hathor cow: goddess of love and motherhood;
• Hathor snake: goddess of beauty, youth and pleasures;
• Hathor cat: protector goddess of the family.

Hathor was also known as the protector of the dead for accompanying them during the passage to the afterlife.

Depictions of the Goddess Hathor

In addition to the animal archetypes, Hathor also adopted different denominations, according to his personality and importance to his devotees.

sky goddess

According to the Egyptians, Hathor symbolized the Milky Way, a sea in which the vessel of Ra sailed. Hence, she was also called the goddess of the sky, a cosmic goddess who could be seen with the image of a cow formed by the stars.

sun goddess

Usually, in mythologies, the female figure symbolizes the power of the Moon, leaving the power of the Sun to the female deities. However, Hathor was seen as a sun goddess, alongside Horus and Ra. In this sense, the goddess was also known as “The golden one”, as her rays were able to illuminate the whole earth.

goddess of joy

In the role of wife, mother and lover, Hathor assumed the personality of the goddess of joy, the “Lady of joy”. No wonder her celebrations were the most lively, with festivals and lots of music dedicated to her life. Therefore, in her assignments was the goddess of dance, music and parties.

Worship of the Goddess Hathor

Always with lots of music and plenty, the cult of the Goddess Hathor was one of the most important in Ancient Egypt. In addition, a large number of temples were dedicated to the deity, the main one being located in Dendera, in Upper Egypt.

In honor of the goddess, it was common for mothers to name their daughters after Hathor, as a way of protecting the family. In most Egyptian homes, her name was invoked in private prayers.

Another important point about the cult of Hathor is that his priesthood brought an important peculiarity for the time, as both men and women were accepted as priests.

Characteristics of the Egyptian deity Hathor

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Names: Hathor, Hathor, Hesat, Mehturt, Mehet-Weret and Mehet-uret;

Symbols: Lions, snake, the sistrum instrument, papyrus reed, mirrors, sun disk and the menat necklace;

Day of worship: at 8 am on the New Moon of the 11th month of the year;

Zodiac sign: Sagittarius;

Planet: Venus;

chakra: base chakra

Animal: Lion, cow, snake and cat;

Incense: sandalwood;

Stone: red jasper, red agate, ruby, garnet and coral.

Goddess of love, beauty, motherhood and joy, Hathor represented the symbols of the sacred feminine and, therefore, was seen as a kind entity.

If you are interested in finding out more about the fascinating mystical world of the Goddesses, book an appointment online with an professional. By chat, email or phone, it is possible to learn more about white magic and rituals, in a responsible and discreet way.

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