Qetesh in her native Syria seems to have been worshipped as a
nature-goddess with rites that tended to the licentious. In Egypt she
came to be identified with one of the forms of Hathor, the goddess
of love and beauty, also as a moon-goddess. By some authorities she
is considered to have been another form and aspect of Ashtoreth. In
Egyptian art she is represented as standing upon a lion, her figure
entirely nude; in her right hand she holds lotus blossoms and a mirror,
while in her left are two serpents. At a later period she is still
depicted in the same attitude, but on her head she wears the headdress
of Hathor. On inscriptions of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Dynasties
she is called "lady of heaven, mistress of all the gods, eye of Ra, who
has none like unto her." She was prayed to for gifts of life and health,
and that after extreme old age her devotees might have a good burial in
the west of Thebes, proving that her worship existed in the capital of
the country. She sometimes appears with Amsu and the god Reshpu, with
whom she seems to be associated as one of a trinity.
Reshpu is another Syrian god whose cult became known in Egypt, the chief
centre of his worship being at Het-Reshp, in the Delta. In Syria he was
regarded as a god of war, and in Egyptian monuments and temples he is
depicted in the form of a warrior with shield and spear in his left hand
and a club in his right. Above his forehead projects a gazelle, which
would seem to be an ancient symbol of the god denoting his sovereignty
over the desert. His titles as given in the Egyptian texts, where he
is described as "the great god, the lord of eternity, the prince of
everlastingness, the lord of twofold strength among the company of
gods," are largely borrowed from the native deities. Reshpu corresponds
to the god known to the Phœnicians and worshipped both in Cyprus and
Carthage, and is considered by some authorities to be a god of the
burning and destructive power of fire, also of the lightning.
Semitic and African Influence
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account