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In Egyptian
mythology, Anuket (also spelt Anqet,
and in Greek, Anukis) was originally the goddess
of the Nile River, in areas such as Elephantine
Island, at the start of the Nile's journey through
Egypt, and in nearby regions of Nubia. Since the
flooding of the Nile is what nourishes the fields,
she gained her name, which means Embracer, in
the sense of the nile embracing the fields. Her
titles were similarly appropriate to this, including
Nourisher of the Fields, Giver of Life, and She
Who Shoots Forth (in reference to the flooding).
Since the god Chnum,
and goddess Satis,
were thought to be the gods of the source of
the Nile, Anuket was viewed as their daughter.
Being the deification of the Nile also lead
to two tributaries of the Nile, in the region,
being considered her arms. It also lead to her
being associated with fast moving things, representing
the river's flow, such as arrows, and the gazelle,
which happens also to be an animal with a large
presence at the Nile in this region. Thus in
art, she was often depicted as a gazelle, or
with a gazelle's head, sometimes having a headdress
of feathers (thought by most Egyptologists to
be a detail deriving from Nubia).
Ceremonially, when the Nile started its annual
flood, the Festival of Anuket began, with people
throwing coins, gold, jewelry, and precious
gifts, into the river, in thanks for the life-giving
water. The taboo, that was held in several parts
of Egypt, on not eating fish, which were considered
sacred, was lifted during this time.
Later, by the time of the Ptolomeic era, because
of the association of the flooding of the nile
with the fertility of the fields, and because
her name was The Embracer, she became also a
goddess of lust. In this form, she gained association
with cowrie shells, which resemble the vagina.
Gods
and Goddesses Menu
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