The dawn of astronomy: A study of the temple-worship and mythology of the ancient EgyptiansLockyer, Norman, Sir
Religion
The dawn of astronomy: A study of the temple-worship and mythology of the ancient Egyptians
Lockyer, Norman, Sir
Astronomy, Egyptian; Sun -- Mythology; Sun worship; Temples -- Egypt
2. _There is evidence that many of the names of these goddesses are
pure synonyms._--That is to say, we have the same goddess (or the same
star) called different names in different places, and associated with
different animal emblems, in consequence of the existence of different
totems in different nomes. I have already referred to the symbolism
of the goddess Mut. In one form she is a hippopotamus; in another
she has a cow's horns and disk. The temple of Hathor at Denderah was
probably associated with the crocodile or the hippopotamus; so that
from the symbolism referred to we get the suggestion that the goddess
Mut was really the Theban form of the goddess Hathor at Denderah.
There is another delineation which shows that even more clearly: it
is a drawing of the goddess with both the lion's and crocodile's
head. One of the most wonderful things to be seen at Thebes is that
marvellous collection of the statues of Sechet in the temple of Mut,
all of them lion-headed. From evidence of this kind in addition to the
temple inscriptions already referred to, we get a clear indication of
the fact that Apet, Mut, Taurt, Sechet, Bast, were the same goddess
under different names, and I may add that they, in all probability,
symbolised the star γ Draconis.
[Illustration: NIT. NIT (ANOTHER FORM). BAST.]
3. _All these goddesses have a special symbol._--Hathor wears the cow's
head and the horns with the disk. Taurt, the hippopotamus-goddess,
is also represented with horns and disk. The horns and disk are also
worn by Serk-t, Sati and Rā-t, the wife of the sun-god Rā; many other
goddesses might be added to this list. Indeed, it looks as if all the
goddesses who are stated to be variants either of Isis or Hathor have
this same symbol.
This generic symbolism suggests that the names Isis and Hathor are
themselves generalisations, meaning an accompaniment of sunrise,
whether that light be the dawn, or an heliacally-rising star, or even
the moon. The generic symbol is the sun's disk and horns, which, I
think, may not impossibly be a poetic development of the sign for
sunrise. Isis and Hathor are two different ways of defining or thinking
about a rising star--that is, a star heralding the sunrise, for such
were the rising stars _par excellence_.
[Illustration: ANUQA. SATI.]
All the goddesses so symbolised are either different forms of Isis
or Hathor, or represent goddesses who personify or bring before us
mythologically stars the rising of which was observed at the dawn at
some time of the year or another.
But it must be added that these goddesses are not always represented
with this head-gear, possibly because they had other functions besides
their astronomical one.
The extent of this variation may be gathered from the two forms of
Neith or Nit given on page 290.
[Illustration: ISIS NURSING HORUS. (The last form is Serk-t-Isis, the
scorpion goddess.)]
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