Based on the results of his earlier research on the influence of celestial phenomena in ancient Egypt, the author presents his interpretation of the position and function of the Egyptian goddess Hathor as a solar deity.

The author introduces his interpretation of the name of Hathor.

The author demonstrates that the ancient Egyptians regarded the goddess Hathor as a goddess of solar eclipses.

Note: the first edition of this study was published on May 22, 2001.

INTRODUCTION

Through my studies on the influence of celestial phenomena in ancient Egypt, I have demonstrated that the solar eclipses were the most important heavenly events and they had a major impact on the ancient Egyptians. I have demonstrated that the creation myths of Heliopolis and Hermopolis were inspired by the total solar eclipse. I have also deciphered the way the ancient Egyptians described the solar eclipses and extracted and dated certain Egyptian solar eclipse records. This has led me to argue that the Mountain of the East, and the Mountain of the West actually exist in the sky and they are not legendary. They are the western and eastern lunar limbs respectively. I have even discovered the Egyptian hieroglyph for 'solar eclipse', which, most amazingly, was the hieroglyph akhet, that has always been misinterpreted as 'horizon'! According to my work, the term 'akhet net pet' (which has been misinterpreted as the "horizon of heaven") stands exclusively for 'solar eclipse'. The term akhet stands for either 'solar eclipse', 'pyramid', 'temple', or tomb, the meaning depends on the text.

Also, I have demonstrated that the ancient Egyptians who devised solar gods for the rising [Khepri], noon [Re] and evening [Atum] Suns, were probably unique in adopting a 'Lord of Eclipses', who was 'Horemakhet' the Giza Sphinx. In this study, I demonstrate my ideas about what I believe to be the Egyptian 'Mistress of Eclipses'.

Please have a look at each of the following websites:

http://members.aol.com/KCStarguy/blacksun/egyptianeclipse.htm
www.infis.org/aymenibr.htm

MOTHER HATHOR

It is difficult to determine the mythological rule of the Egyptian goddess Hathor, patron of women, of love, and of pleasure, a Lady of heaven, and Mistress of the Underworld (1). Hathor was one of the most powerful and most admired of the Egyptian pantheon, dating from archaic times (2). Hathor was also a goddess of love, sex, and music (3). Thus, she was linked to Aphrodite and Venus in Greek and Roman myths respectively (4). Hathor was figured as a sky cow carrying Sun disc between her horns (5). She sometimes also appears as a beautiful lady with a disc between the horns of a cow on her head (6). Her name means 'The House of Hor' (7). Thus, she is believed to be a celestial goddess, since Hor, a Sun god, lives in the sky (8), however, I have a new explanation for the name.

There are several mythological conceptions of Hathor. She is believed to be a moon goddess, a sky-goddess, a goddess of the east, a goddess of the west, a cosmic deity, an agricultural goddess, a goddess of moisture, even on occasion a solar deity (9). Thus, the Cosmic Cow [Hathor], carries a massive burden of duty! However, I am deeply sorry to put [by this study] one more universal task between her galaxy-wide horns! The new job is to handle solar eclipses!

HATHOR AS A SOLAR DEITY

Hathor also appears as a solar deity. She was regarded as the 'Eye of Re' (10). As the Eye of Re she spat fiery poison like a cobra or devoured people like a lioness (11). She also guarded the Sun god on his journey through the Underworld (12). When the Sun god was angry and refused to shine, Hathor delighted him by performing a striptease! (13).

THE CELESTIAL COW

Hathor is regarded as a sky goddess. This raises some important questions: What is the position and rule of the older sky goddess Nut? Why should there be more than a celestial goddess in ancient Egypt? Certainly, the questions are not easy to answer! However, I have an idea! I believe that each goddess has a certain rule, and they are not one and the same [the blue dome]. As the myths show, it seems that Nut is the vault. I believe that Hathor could not be all the sky. Hathor's name 'The House of Hor' pushes me to speculate that it could be the ecliptic, the annual path of the Sun across the sky. Having demonstrated that akhet is the heavenly abode of the Sun [eclipse], I believe that 'The House of Hor' is particularly the location on the sky where the Sun gets eclipsed. Arguments are demonstrated below.

THE MISTRESS OF AKHET

Hathor is sometimes shown as a cow arising from the Mountain of the West, and is sometimes depicted setting on its summit receiving the Sun and the souls of the dead [who are travelling on the course of the Sun god] (14). Thus, some researchers regard Hathor as a goddess of the western sky (15). However, I have demonstrated that the Egyptian hieroglyph akhet symbolizes the setting and rising of the Sun in the sky, i.e., the total solar eclipse, and the Mountain of West is the eastern lunar limb on which the Sun sets in the sky at totality. Thus, Hathor stands on the eastern lunar limb to welcome the eclipsed Sun in a total solar eclipse! I believe this supports my idea that the horns of Hathor have been depicted from the eclipsed, crescent Sun, or the Diamond Ring effect that is observed just before the totality phase.

THE HORNS OF HATHOR

In mythology, the horns of a cow are often associated with the crescent Moon (16). However, the horns of Hathor could not necessarily be the horns of the crescent, since the Moon has its own god [Thut], and two sacred animals, the baboon and the ibis, and, actually those animals are usually depicted carrying the lunar crescent. Also, as an astronomer, I know there are two more crescents that sometimes become visible in the sky! One of them is the crescent Sun seen close to the totality phase of a total solar eclipse. The other is the crescent phase of the planet Venus (the nearest planet to Earth) which is sometimes visible to the naked eye. We should seek which of the three crescents could be associated with the horns of Hathor. In the Hermopolitan cosmogonies, a cow [Hathor or Mehet] carried the child Re to the "horizon of heaven" [eclipse]. Thus, it is reasonable to consider that the belief in Hathor had been inspired by the dazzling Diamond Ring effect seen close to totality of an eclipse. In this spectacle, the eclipsed Sun looks like a diamond on a ring [or horns] of the solar corona (the outer atmosphere of the Sun). Therefore the horns of Hathor could be the horns of the crescent Sun or those of the ring and the face of Hator would be then the diamond. There are photos of total solar eclipses that illustrate my ideas at:

     1. Moore, The Astronomy Encyclopedia, p. 116, Mitchell Bleazley Publishers, 1987.
     2. Sky and Telescope, March 1996 issue, p. 41, The sky Publishing Corporation.
     3. Arnold, Night Sky Photography, p. 82, George Philip, 1988.

The photos show clearly that the Diamond Ring effect may be envisaged as a cow holding a disc on its horns.

THE COLOR OF HATHOR

Hathor was quite black (17). This is believed to be an indication of an Ethiopian origin, or it may be that she represents the night sky, which brightens with the break of the day (18). However, some scholars find it possible to link it to the Moon which is born black, with only a narrow crescent of light (19). But, I find it more likely that it could be linked to the color of the Mountain of West, i.e., the dark eastern limb of the disk of the New Moon, seen in a solar eclipse. This enhances my view that the mythological rule of Hathor is to tackles solar eclipses, a most catastrophic event in ancient Egypt!

AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ECLIPSE RECORD

The text below (from the Papyrus of Nekht), has been misinterpreted as describiong sunrise. However, according to my interpretation of Akhet net Pet [eclipse], I have shown it to be a solar eclipse record. It demonstrates my ideas about Hathor clearly:
 

Greetings to you, Glorious and skillful,
Atum-Horakhty, risen from Akhet net Pet.
Praises are yours from the mouths of everyone,
Beautiful God, renewed in the Sun disk,
in the arms of your mother, Hathor.
Rise everywhere and each heart is glad forever!
The temples of all Egypt come in homage to offer greeting at your rising.
Gleaming from Akhet net Pet,
You suffuse the Two Lands with turquoise.

Now it seems clear that the ancient Egyptians saw Hathor around the totality phase of a solar eclipse.

THE WARRIOR BEAUTY!

Through this study I have always felt that my ancestors, the ancient Egyptians, personified dear heart Egypt in Hathor since both have many things in common. Charming Egypt, the Land of the Pyramids, is the most beautiful place I have ever seen! She is so beautiful, so genius, and so prosperous. Through her magnificent history, many tyrants, leading vast armies tried to make her kneel. But, like Hathor, Glorious Egypt is a Warrior Beauty! She swallowed her enemies all, and no trace of them remained!

CONCLUSION

Unfortunately, one more mission is added to mighty Hathor's responsibilities! It is to handle solar eclipses, protecting Re from the forces of darkness. Although she looks after the deceased, I guess, on the day of my flight [death], she would not be pleased to meet me in the Afterlife!

Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem
Email: aymen_ibrahem@hotmail.com (primary)
aymoib@frcu.eun.eg (secondary)
aymoib@mailer.scu.eun.eg (secondary)
Copy rights: Aymen M Ibrahem, 2001.

MORE STUDIES BY THE AUTHOR

Dr Eric Flescher (KCStarguy@aol.com) has kindly established an archive, which includes many of
the author's articles, at his website at:

http://members.aol.com/KCStarguy/blacksun/egyptianeclipse.htm

Also, more of my studies are available at [please have a look at each]:

www.infis.org/aymenibr.htm
www.jas.org.jo/article.html
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt1.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt2.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt3.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt4.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt5.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/akhet.html
The archives (on the web) of the Solar Eclipse Mailing List.

REFERENCES
 1. Lewis Spence, An Illustrated Guide of Egyptian Mythology, p. 69, Studio Editions, 1996.
 2. Ibid.
 3. Ibid.
 4. Ibid.
 5. Ibid., p. 70.
 6. Harris and Panberton, The British Museum Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, p. 69, the British Museum Press, 1999.
 7. Ibid.
 8. Lewis Spence, An Illustrated Guide of Egyptian Mythology, p. 70, Studio Editions, 1996.
 9. Ibid.
10. Harris and Panberton, The British Museum Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, p. 69, the British Museum Press, 1999.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Lewis Spence, An Illustrated Guide of Egyptian Mythology, p. 71, Studio Editions, 1996.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid., p. 70.
17. Ibid., p. 73.
18. Ibid.
19. Ibid.