Hesat (Heset, Hesahet, or Hesaret) was a cow goddess of Ancient Egypt who was considered to be the earthly manifestation of Hathor.
She was called “the creator of all nourishment” and her name has the same root the word for milk , (“hesa”) which was known as the “beer of Heset”. She was pictured as a divine white cow, either with a sun disc between her horns or carrying a tray of food on her horns and milk flowing from her udders.
Hesat was seen as the wet-nurse of the other gods, minor patron of pregnant women and nursing mothers. She was also thought to be the mother of Anubis. Thus, the creator of all nourishment also gave birth to a god of the dead (later the god of mummification). She was the wife of Ra, whose earthly manifestation was the Mnevis Bull. The triad of the Mnevis, Hesat, and Anubis were worshipped in Heliopolis.
Bibliography
- Lesko, Barbara S (1999) The Great Goddesses of Egypt
- Pinch, Geraldine (2002) Handbook Egyptian Mythology
- Redford Donald B (2002) Ancient Gods Speak
- Watterson, Barbara (1996) Gods of Ancient Egypt
- Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003) The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
Copyright J Hill 2010