Hemsut
Appearance
The Hemsut | ||||||
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Name in hieroglyphs |
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Parents | Ptah |
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Ancient Egyptian religion |
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In Egyptian mythology, The ḥmswt (anglicized as Hemsut, Hemuset or Hemusut) were the goddesses of fate and protection.[1][2] They are representative of the ka (male protective spirit[3]).
Hemsut are female counterparts to the kas, providing nourishment, life force, power, and magical protection, especially to newborn royalty. The hemsut images in art include a shield crossed with arrows, often worn as a headdress and sometimes appearing independently. The shield symbolizes the Sais nome (Sap-Meh). Originally hemsut were closely associated with specific kas, forming pairs (e.g., Hemsut of Hu, Hemsut of Heka), their concept probably expanded over time to include other deities.[2]
In popular culture
[edit]The Hemsut are briefly mentioned in The Prince of Egypt.
References
[edit]- ^ Ventker 2018.
- ^ a b Bonnet 2000, p. 286.
- ^ Lurker 2015, p. 181.
Sources
[edit]- Bonnet, Hans, ed. (2000). "Hemsut". Lexikon der ägyptischen Religionsgeschichte [Lexicon of Egyptian Religious History] (in German) (3 ed.). Hamburg: Nikol. ISBN 3-937872-08-6.
- Lurker, Manfred (2015-04-29). "Ka". A Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-10620-0. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- Ventker, Bettina (2018). Garanten der Herrschaft: Die Prozessionen der Kas und Hemusut in den Tempeln der griechisch-römischen Zeit [Guarantors of Rule: The Processions of the Kas and Hemusut in the Temples of the Greco-Roman Period]. Soubassementstudien VI. Studien zur spätägyptischen Religion (in German). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-10883-6.