Hatmehit “Goddess of Fish & Water” Hatmehit was an ancient Egyptian goddess who was associated with the waters of the Nile River. She was primarily worshipped by the people who lived in the Delta region of the Nile. The goddess was characterized as a protective deity who guarded over the fish and reptiles that inhabited the river, as well as those who chose to live near it. She was also considered to be a nurturing mother figure who provided sustenance and nourishment to her people.

Name The name Hatmehit means “foremost of fishes” or “she who is first among the fish.” Her temple was located in the city of Mendes and was a popular pilgrimage site for fishermen who came to offer their catches to the goddess. She was also associated with the goddess Isis and was sometimes referred to as the “Isis of the Delta.” As a goddess of fertility, Hatmehit was also worshipped by pregnant women and those who wished to conceive.

The iconography of Hatmehit depicted her as a woman with the head of a fish or a hippopotamus. Sometimes, she was shown wearing a crown of ostrich feathers and holding a serpent or a lotus flower in her hands. These symbols were associated with the goddess’s sacred connection to the river, fertility, and renewal.

The mythology surrounding Hatmehit is not well-documented, but she was believed to be the wife of the god Horus and the mother of Harsomtus, the god of the delta. She was also associated with the god Osiris, who was the god of the underworld and the afterlife.

Temple Hatmehit was often invoked during rituals and ceremonies that involved the Nile River. Her temples were typically located near the river banks, and offerings were made to the goddess in the form of fish, lotus flowers, and other aquatic symbols. Her worshippers believed that Hatmehit could protect them from the dangers of the river and ensure a bountiful harvest from its waters.

Today, little remains of Hatmehit’s temples, and her worship has faded into obscurity. However, the goddess’s legacy lives on in the mythology and stories of ancient Egypt, where she was revered as a powerful protector of the water and the creatures that inhabited it.