Goddess Bat

And the confusion with Hathor

Mohamed Gamal RASHED

Bat was an early buffalo goddess who appears to have been played an importance and
powerful role in the pre-dynastic and early historical times. Even before the appearing of the
other great goddesses through the historical times. Bat was worshiped as the great goddess of
heaven, the celestial cow, which appeared in some witness from the prehistory and pre-
dynastic period, such as; Girza palette, an ivory bowl of Hierakonpolis and a seal impression
from Om-el-Qaab, in her usual aspect and surrounded by five stars. She is supposed to be the
first representative goddess of the sky, according to these Predynastic witnesses, even before
Neith and Hathor.1 She had played her protective, national, fertility roles, as the main goddess
in these times, according to her several witnesses which were founded around Egypt in these
early times.2
Her name is apparently a feminine form of the word 'BA’ 'soul' and it means 'female
spirit' or 'female power'. Her name was known from a diorite vessel from Hierakonpolis,3 1st
dynasty, as her symbol carved in sunk relief on the flat upper surface of the rim, showing the
characteristic human face with buffalo's ears and horns, accompanied by the bird sign
'bA’ 'Jabiru stork’ or 'the Saddlebill stork'. 4 Then on the stela of Hesu, 6th dynasty5 (UC

14312) in the name and title of his wife 'Nfrt-BAt' ; and occurred often in the title '
6
HqA BAt from the 4th dynasty. Also her name appeared in some religious texts from the
Old and Middle Kingdom:

, ;7 ;8 ,9 .10
Goddess Bat was depicted in her image as a human head, with a human female face,
ears and horns of buffalo, curved up inwards, in frontal view. 11 Sometimes she appeared with
a full bovine head and face (see Girza palette). As the author has suggested before, this
depiction is like an ancestral cow, Bos primigenius opisthodomus, or an African buffalo,
Syncerus sp. (pl. VIa).12 As her iconography involved a complicated matter, concerning the
original animal from which Bat took the shape of her horns and ears, as it is not in the shape
of the cow which is depicted with horns turned outwards as appears in the Hathor horns, and
also these horns do not look like the horns of the Asian cows, as Fischer suggested.13
One also could suggest that this depiction is more accepted as an African buffalo,
Syncerus sp.14 As the ancient Egyptian people who dwelled the western desert in the
prehistory times probably put pendants around their and their animals' necks, in addition to
the relation between the main worship place of Bat (in the 7th Nome of Upper Egypt) and the
Western desert.
About the absence of her depiction in the full human form, one could explain it through
indicating the goddess Bat role in the Legend of Horus and Seth. As a text mentioned a battle
in the river between them, after it Horus had cut his mother Isis's head, when she helped Seth
against him. After that the Myth taking about replacing her head with a cow or buffalo head;
which were thought by many of Egyptologists to be Hathor’s head,15 the famous cow
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Goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor

goddess. In the contrast one could supposed to be Bat’s according to the close relationship
between Bat and Isis16.
There are some indications and evidences for the goddess Bat from at least the middle
of the fourth millennium B.C.: such as the Girza palette;17 a cylinder seal impression from
Abydos (tomb U 210).18 A diorite bowl from Hierakonpolis,19 in the Petrie Museum (pl. Ic).
Two other examples were found in Hierakonpolis (Naqada II); a fragmentary polished red
bowl20 from the around tomb 16 with pot marks projected on the surface (pl. Ia). The bowl
had flaring walls and a flat base, with a pot-mark within the slipped and polished area on the
inside rim. Only half of the drawing is preserved. When completed symmetrically, it
obviously represented the Bat symbol. The second is an incised shred from a red polished
bowl in the temple at Hierakonpolis (HK29A), Naqada II (Late Predynastic).21 Its decorations
were incised on both sides after the vessel was broken. On its interior side, one can easily
recognize a stylized emblem of Bat, which is very similar to her depiction on the Girza palette
(without stars).
Further on the top of the Narmer Palette22 and the girdle of the king on one of its faces,
as a celestial goddess with a human face and bovine ears and horns. Another early dynastic
depiction occurred on a limestone model of a carrying-shrine from Abydos, (pl. IIa).23 In a
deposit of early votive objects, the figure of Bat was recessed within the front of the shrine,
while a cloaked ram-headed figure stands on each side. A gold amulet24 from the Early
Dynasty Cemetery at Naga ed-Der (Grave n. 1532) showing a bull with the Bat-fetish and
ankh pendant hanging from its neck. On the ivory inlays of a box from Abu Rawash (pl.
IIb)25 showing the emblem of Bat between two Min emblems. An ivory from the tomb of
Semerkhet at Abydos (pl. IIc), 26 with two faces of Bat similar to the head of Bat on the top of
Narmer palette, and then as decoration on a fragment from a broken statue of Djoser (pl.
IIIa)27 - this is similar to that on the girdle of Narmer on the palette.
A wall relief in the tomb of 'Nb-m-3xt’, 28 son of Chephren in Giza, showing its
columns decorated with the emblem as a capital for a bed canopy, and it was also used in
ornamental frieze, 29 as exemplified by dado below a relief of Pepy II from the temple of
Coptos. A statue of 'Ax.t-Htp’ 30 from Saqqara, 5th dynasty, discovered by the French Mission
in 1997, was decorated with a badge of Bat emblem on the chest (pl. IIIb).
She also appeared on inlay pieces of pectorals from the Middle Kingdom, such as a
pectoral from Dahshur,31 showing the emblem between Horus and Seth (pl. IVa); and a
pectoral from Hargah32 figuring the emblem between two bees, as royal signs, that reflect the
role of Bat in the unification (pl. IVb). Another pectoral from Byblos33 is showing the Bat
symbol as a pendant on the neck of the cow goddess Hathor, similar to that from Naga-ed-
Der. Bat symbol among different magical and religious symbols in a necklace of the princess
Khnumit from Dahshur, 12th dynasty, its central area contains pairs of amulets arranged on
either side of a central ankh sign (CG 53018= JE 31116, pl. IVc),34 another similar depiction
of the Bat symbol among twenty-nine magical and protective symbols including uedjat-eyes.
Djed pillars and ankh signs in a bangle made of gold and silver in the British museum (Nr
24787), unknown provenance 2000 -1800 BC.35
The Bat emblem appeared among different emblems of deities in a religious festival in
the stela Louvre C15,36 from the Middle Kingdom, and in a similar scene from Late Period in
the temple of Hibis.37 As a pendant in the neck of cow goddess such as the cow goddess
Shentyet in her portable shrine at the temple of Sety I at Abydos from the New Kingdom. 38
Bat was connected with some of high officials' ranks from the 4th dynasty 'HqA BAt' title,
Bat pendant, and some other ranks or titles which were related to the goddess or her cult
place.

336
 Mohamed Gamal Rashed

'HqA BAt': ,39 an important title occurred in the high officials' texts from the 4th
dynasty:40 'The preserver / holder of the king's amulets, Lit.: The pendant of Bat'. 41 It's
linked together with the palace, king, his ornaments, and with Bat pendant and the goddess
Bat. @qA BAt title and the Bat pendant also point out a relationship between Bat and the jubilee
'Hb-sd' festivals. Helck thought that the holders of 'HqA BAt' had important roles in these
festivals. Occasionally this title occurred along with the pendant of Bat. It is clear that both
have the same meaning and function, so it wasn't necessary to mention the title in texts, if the
official was depicted wearing the pendant or vice versa.
From the early dynastic period Bat Pendant appeared on the neck of a bull’s amulet
from Naga ed-der.42 According to Helck,43 it was related first to the king himself and then to
princes. By the 4th Dynasty, it appeared as an ornament for the high officials of the palace (for
ex. #a.f-xwfw, Giza). 44 Its name was known through a text at the funerary temple of
'Amunhotep son of Hapu’,45 which indicated to the pendant as a gift of the king in his jubilee.
The pendant consists of two parts, 'the face of Bat' and 'the knot', which is similar to Isis-knot.
Bat was connected with various deities; such as the sky goddess, Isis, Min, Repyt, and
Shentayt; beside her closed relationship and the confusion with Hathor, which shall be
discussed here. As Bat was worshiped as the great goddess of heaven and the celestial cow,
which appeared in the Girza palette, the ivory bowl of Hierakonpolis and a seal impression
from prehistory and the Predynastic period, in her usual aspect and surrounded by five stars
(see above). She was supposed to be "the first sky goddess", according to early evidences,
even before Neith and Hathor.46 There was also a close relationship between Bat and Isis
through Isis-knot. 47 Also on CT V 237a, this refers to the two goddesses as one, 'Bat-Isis'.48
Bat was regarded as a female counterpart of the fertility god Min, and this relationship
was suggested through depicting their emblems together on an ivory inlay from a wooden
box, Abu Rouash,49 as mentioned above. Goddess Repyt, first appearance of Bat and Repyt
relationship was known from a carrying-chair model from the Predynastic Period (mentioned
above), which includes a figure of Bat inside it, while lower part of the shrine inscribed with
'rpt'. 50 That should refers to the goddess Repyt or the carrying-chair itself ' rpt'. 51
52 53
Also with Shentayt , 'SntAyt', sometimes appeared as a kneeling cow
goddess with Bat symbol around her neck, temple of Sety I at Abydos. Also she appeared
with Bat symbol in some vignettes of the book of the Dead, and coffins from the Late
Period.54 Both goddesses shared the bovine form.
There was a strong relationship between Bat and Hathor, even though they surely had
separate origins, and each of them had her own character and aspect before the Middle
Kingdom. Both goddesses had token too similar iconographies. These similarities have led to
some confusion in the minds of modern scholars. So that this paper aims to remove this
confusion and pointed out the identity and characteristics features for the goddess Bat, and the
distances of the relations and difference between the two goddesses.
By the end of the 4th Dynasty Hathor had supplanted the older crocodile god in the
neighboring 6th Nome of Upper Egypt and made her Tentynite cult centre.55 By the beginning
of the New Kingdom Bat was completely eclipsed by her powerful neighbor, and Hathor
became the mistress of Hu, 'Hut-skhem' or 'Mansion of the sistrum', which became the capital
of the 7th Nome of Upper Egypt. 56
Bat at least was the main goddess in the 7th Nome of Upper Egypt until the 12th
Dynasty, as she was the main goddess of the 7th Nome of Upper Egypt mentioned on the
shrine of Sesostris I, 57 it is supposed that her local cult had still bore her own name rather
than Hathor’s as late as the 12th Dynasty.
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Goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor

The confusion of Bat and Hathor and also Bat’s identification as a symbol of Hathor
have been mentioned above. This procedure might seem to be justified by the oldest
representations which were later taken over by both Bat and Hathor, which shows that they
had much in common at an early date,58 but before concluding that the two goddesses were
already identified since prehistory and Old Kingdom. It is necessary to consider how their
similarities developed, and which goddess was the earlier.59 The most persuasive parallel
(according to Fischer, 1962, 12f) is the configuration of the five stars that touch her ears,
horns and the top of her head in the three early representations of Bat. This recalls the epithet
Nb.t sbAw “Mistress of stars”, which is applied to Hathor in the tale of Sinuhe. 60

The assimilations and difference between Bat and Hathor

• Bat was related to the sky (the first sky goddess; PL.I c-d) and the realm of stars
earlier than Hathor, who was related to the stars in the Middle Kingdom through her
title or epithet 'Nb.t sbAw’, and was known with her title 'Nbt Pt', through the
historical times, as the mistress of the sky, daughter of the sun god Ra, and the
mother of Horus the Falcon of the sky. 61
• Both of them were depicted in bovine form, but it is possible to distinguish them
through some points, such as:
1. Bat had taken the bovine form of the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), and
she appeared in this form since Prehistory Period (see above).
While Hathor was represented as the wild cow with full bovine body, and
she didn't appear in this form before the 4th dynasty.62

2. Bat was represented in frontal view with a human face and bovine ears and
horns turned inwards in one or crueler, sometimes with incised lines on the
horns.
But Hathor was often in the profile view and full bovine shape with her long
horns turned outwards at its upper ends, with the sun disk in the middle
(except in the case of her symbols which take originally the shape of Bat
from the Middle Kingdom, such as Sistrum, Frontal mask of Hathor, the
hathoric columns, and the capital of Hathor).
3. Bat often represented in the mixed form, female face and the bovine head,
except in some cases with the full bovine head, such as Girza Palette (PL.Id).
Hathor had been often token the full human shape of a woman with her
crown, or the full bovine form also with her crown.
4. Bat was known with her double faces such as her early depiction on the
Narmer Palette and an ivory tablet from the tomb of Smerkhet at Abydos
(Pl.IIc), and in the Pyramids texts (Pyr.1096b).
While Hathor didn't represent with the double faces, except in her religious
symbols, which had token this form from Bat. (Hathor was depicted as a
woman with four faces in the Gre-roman Period).
So it became clearly how to distinguish between the iconography of the two
goddesses.

338
 Mohamed Gamal Rashed

• Both of them are related to the king:

1. As Hathor was known as the mother of the king and his wife and she was the
royal goddess of Egypt at least from the 4th dynasty. She related to the king
in many aspects that are known very well.
Bat has also a close relationship to the king from early dynasties (as it was
mentioned above).

2. Hathor was known as the kilt of the king through an utterance in the
Pyramid texts (Pyr. 546b).
Goddess Bat was also related to the customs of the king from the first
dynasty, as her symbols appeared on the girdle of the king Narmer at the
Palette, than upon a part of broken statue of Zoser in the Egyptian museum
(Pl. IIIa); and the holder of the Bat pendant was the responsible of the
ornaments of the king in his festivals (see Bat's Pendant). 63
• Hathor had a wide protective role that confirmed by many texts and scenes; and Bat
also appeared through some scenes and very rare texts as a protective goddess,
according to what were mentioned later.64
• One supposed that Bat was the First fertility goddess in Egypt, even before Hathor
and Min; as the fertility was related at the beginning with the female, and Bat was
the first sky goddess in the bovine form. One can emphasized that through the
representation of the Bat symbol between two fertility symbols of Min on an ivory
inlay of a box from Abu Rawash (Pl. IIb).65 So one can supposed a marriage
relation between them through this depiction as the female and male fertility deities.
• The religious symbols: 'Pinch'66 pointed out that Hathor was practically influenced
by the symbol of Bat.
Hathor in her different places of worship adopted a face which was originally
Bat; the same applies to the ears and horns of the cow on the sistrum. Pinch refer to
the Bat symbol - as an emblem of Hathor with the image of Bat which could be used
as an image or emblem of Hathor from the 12th dynasty, Hathor mask – a flat, cow-
eared face, in 'frontal' presentation, and Bifrontal mask – two cow-eared masks back
to back, who may be derived from the Bat symbol, since it was referred to Bat with
her two faces in the Pyramid Texts (Pyr.1096b).67
The earliest evidence for the association between the Bat symbol and Hathor
symbols is the sistrum held by Hathor much earlier than the Middle Kingdom in the
shrine of Nb-Hpt-ra Mentuhotep at Dendera;68 also the Naos-sistrum with the image
of Bat which occurred in the private reliefs at Meir and Beni Hassan. The first
attested example for the sistrum was in the rock tombs of Meir, showing three
priestesses playing with sistrum.69 Another scene from Beni Hassan shows three
priestesses in a ceremony; one of them holds the Naos sistrum in her hand with the
Bat's face (Pl. Va).70
Other symbols were strongly influenced by the shape of the goddess Bat, and it
is clear that the symbols of Hathor had token the shape of the goddess Bat originally.

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Goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor

Plate I

A. B.

Pot-mark on the surface of a Cylinder seal impression from Umm el-Qaab

at Abydos, Tomb U 210.
polished bowl from tomb 16.

S. Hendrickx, Nekhen news 17, 14-15. A. Stevenson, Gerzeh (London, 2006), 42.

C. D.

A diorite bowl from Hierakonpolis. Girza palette.

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 Mohamed Gamal Rashed

Plate II

A. B.

A limestone model of a An ivory inlays of a box from Abu-Rawash showing

carrying-shrine from Abydos. the emblem of Bat between two emblems of Min.

L. Troy, Patterns of Queenship, A. Klasens, Abu-Roash II, pl. XXV.

fig. 54.

C.

An ivory from the tomb of Semerkhet at Abydos.

Petrie, The royal tombs of the First Dynasty I, pl. 27 (71).

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Goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor

Plate III

A.

Bat symbol as a decoration on a part

of a statue of Djoser.

A. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian

Jewerlery, fig. 14.

B.

Queen Hatshepsout suckle from the cow

goddess Hathor. Goddess horns turns out
wards, and Bat pendant at her neck.

A. Erman & H. Ranke, Ägypten und ägyptische

Leben im Altertum (Tübengen, 1923), Abb. 13.

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 Mohamed Gamal Rashed

Plate IV

A.

A pectoral from Dahshur

showing the emblem
between Horus and Seth
C. Aldred, Jewels of the
Pharaohs, 39.

B.

A pectoral from Hargah

figuring the emblem
between two bees.
E. Feucht, Der Koniglischen
Pektorale Motive, Pl. V, 9.

C.

Bat symbol among different

magical and religious
symbols in a necklace of the
princess Khnumit from
Dahshur, 12th Dynasty

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Goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor

Plate V

A.

Priestess playing with sistrum, Beni Hassan.

O. Keel, & H. Keel-leu, OBO 88, 161, Abb. 137.

B. C.

Hariem playing the sistum with Bat image. Hathoric column with
Troy, Patterns of Queenship, fig. 50. double face of Bat, New
Kingdom

BMMA (1923), 38, fig. 34.

344
 Mohamed Gamal Rashed

Plate VI

A. African buffalo, Syncerus.

B. Saddle-billed Stork

345
Goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor

Endnotes

1
Henry George Fischer, 'The Cult and Nome of the Goddess Bat', JARCE 1 (1962), 11; Idem, Dendera in the
third millennium B.C., (New York 1968), 33 f. (note: 139, 140, and 141).
2
Her appearance expanded to include many areas around the state, such as Hierakonpolis, Girza, Abu
Roash, Abydos, Hu, Naga-ed-Der, Saqqara, Coptos, Dahshur, and Hargah. And her appearance and
importance were surely clear from numerous evidences, which were founded from Prehistory and The
Predynastic Period in these different places, especially from Hierakonpolis, which confirm her
importance role in the first step in the unification and establishing the state.
3
A. J. Arkell, 'An archaic representation of Hathor', JEA 44 (1958), 5 ff.; H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1 (1962), 7, 11
f.; H. G. Fischer, 'Bat', LÄ I (1975), cols. 630-31.
4
P. Lacau & H. Chevrier, Une chapelle de Seosteris 1er À Karnak I (Le Caire, 1956), 225; II, pl. 3; H. G.
Fischer, JARCE 1, 12 f.
- One could suggested that they may constitute a hieroglyphic group, and so in this case it seems to have
been given the writing of the goddess Bat name with its symbol, as it appeared on the shrine of
Sesostris I.
- The Saddlebill stork; This bird is represented in an Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph (Gardiner G29) that
had the phonetic value "ba": . Its description is often erroneously given as "jabiru", which is
actually this species' Latin American relative. The Third Dynasty pharaoh #a- #a-bA incorporated this
hieroglyph in his name (Jiménez Serrano 2002). a picture of the Saddlebill in Houlihan (See Pl. VI b).
5
H. Stewart, Egyptian Stelae, 11, pl. 9.3 (Nr .47); H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 8 ff., pl. 2.
6
Wb. I, 416,13; H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 13; N. de G. Davies, Deir EL Gebraui I, ASE 11 (1902), pls. 3, 8, 17;
LD II, .46; W. Ward, Index of Egyptian Administrative and Religious titles of the Middle Kingdom, (Beirut
1982), 130 (Nr. 1110).
7
Wb. I, 416,12; Pyr. 1096b-c.
8
CT IV 181o.
9
CT V 237.
10
P. Lacau & H. Chevrier, Une chapelle de Seosteris 1er À Karnak I, 225; II, pl.3; H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 12f.
11
H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 7 f.; idem, LÄ 1, cols. 630 f; R. Wilkinson, The complete gods and goddesses of
ancient Egypt (Cairo 2003), 172; B. Lesko, The great goddesses of Egypt (Norman-USA, 1999), 26.
12
H. Epstein, The origin of the domestic animals of Africa I (1971), 233 f.; Favard-C. Meeks, 'Iconographie
Égyptienne', OLP 23 (1992), 17,19f.
13
H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 7 f.; Favard-C. Meeks, 'Iconographie Égyptienne', OLP 23, 17,19f.
14
H. Epstein, The origin of the domestic animals of Africa I, (1971), p.233f; Favard- C.Meeks, OLP 23, 17,19f.
- It should be clear that The African buffalo has never been herded. Diamond (1997) has pointed out
that a number of species could not be domesticated – the African buffalo was one. The domestic
buffalo here in Egypt is the Asian water buffalo and it didn't arrive here until about AD 600. The
Scientific classification of the African buffalo: Kingdom, Animalia; Phylum, Chordata; Subphylum,
Vertebrata; Class, Mammalia; Order, Artiodactyla; Family, Bovidae; Genus; Syncerus. Binomial
name: Syncerus caffer (Sparrman, 1779).
15
Pap. Sallier IV, 2, 6 ff.; A.H. Gardiner, Late Egypitan stories, BAe I (Brussels, 1932), 37 ff.; F. Chabas, Le
Calendrier des Jours fastes et Néfastes de l'année Égyptienne (Paris 1870), 28 f.; J. G. Griffiths, The Conflict
of Horus and Seth (Liverpool, 1960), 46 f.; CT II, 37c; 38g; 41h.
16
CT IV, 181o; according to what was proved in the discussion of this point in the author's master degree:
The goddess Bat and her role in the ancient Egyptian religion [In Arabic] (Cairo University, 2007), 20 f..
17
A. J. Arkell, ' An archaic representation of Hathor', JEA 41 (1955), 125 f.; M. A. Murray, 'Burial Customs and
beliefs in the hereafter in predynastic Egypt', JEA 42 (1956), 95 f.; J. Baumgartel, The cultures of prehistoric
Egypt II (Oxford, 1959), 90 f.; R. Wilkinson, The complete gods and goddesses, 171; A. H. Wilkinson, Early
dynastic Egypt, 282 f; B. Lesko, The great goddess of Egypt, 81 f.; A. Stevenson, Gerzeh, an Egyptian
Cemetery shortly before history (London, 2006), 41 f.
18
A. Stevenson, Gerzeh, 41 f. (with a figure in page 42).
19
J. E. Quibell & Green, Hierakonpolis II, 7 f., pl. XVIII, 21; A. J. Arkell, JEA 41, 125; Idem, JEA 44, 5 ff.; H.
G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 11; A. H. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, 282.
20
S. Hendrickx, 'The earliest example of Pharaonic Iconography', Nekhen news 17 (London, 2005), 14-15.

346
 Mohamed Gamal Rashed

21
S. Hendrickx & R. Friedman, 'Chaos and order: A Predynastic Ostracon from HK29A', Nekhen news 15
(London, 2003), 8f.
22
J.E. Quibell, Archaic Objects I , 314 f., pl. XVII; M. A. Murray, 'The costume of the early kings', Ancient
Egypt IV part I (Cairo, 1926), 34 f.; A. J. Arkell, JEA 41, 125; H. G. Fischer, JARCE I, 7 f.; W. A. Fairservis,
'A revised view of the Naarmr Palette', JARCE 28 (1991), 1 ff., fig. 1-10.
23
M. Müller, Ägy. Kunstwerke der Sammlung Köfler (Berlin, 1964), 29 (A 31); Idem, Sammlung köfler Truniger
(Seipel, 1983), 30 (n. 8); L. Troy, Patterns of Queenship (Uppsala, 1986), 80ff; Ursula Rössler-Köhler,
'Repit', LÄ V (1984), cols. 236 ff.
24
G. A. Reisner, Nag el Dier (1908), pl. 6; A. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, 36, fig. 7; C. Aldred,
Jewels of the pharaohs, Jewels of the dynastic period (London, 1978), 113.
25
A. Klasens, The excavations of the Leiden Museum of Antiq at Abu-roash II (Leiden, 1958), 50-54, fig. 20, pl.
XXV; A. Mcfarlane, The god min to the end of the Old Kingdom (Sydney, 1995), 153 (nr. 312).
26
W. M. F. Petrie, The royal tombs of the First Dynasty I (London, 1900), 25, pl. 27 (71), pl. XV; E. Lefebvre,
'Le bucrâne', Sphinx X (1912), 118; A. Said, Götterglaube und Gottheiten in der Vorgeschichte und Frühzeit
Ägyptens, I (Cairo University: Unpublished Ph.D. diss., 1997), 124; A. H. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian
Jewellery, 283; B. Lesko, The great goddess of Egypt, 81.
27
C.M. Firth & J.E. Quibell, The Step Pyramid, with plans by J.P. Lauer I, Excavations at Saqqara I (Le Caire,
1935), 113, 161; II (1935), pl. 59; W.S. Smith, A History of Egyptian sculpture and painting in the Old
Kingdom (London, 1949), 113 (10), fig. 28; A. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, 21, 35, fig. 14; B.
Gunn, ‘Inscriptions from the Step Pyramid site’, ASAE 26 (1926), 177 ff., fig. 5.
28
L. Borchardt, 'Gebruch von Henna im Alten Reich', ZÄS 35 (1897), 168; O. Keel and H. Keel-leu, and Others,
Studien zu den Stempelsiegeln aus Palästina/Israel II, OBO 88 (1989), 159, Abb. 129.
29
W. M. F. Petrie, Coptos (London, 1896), 4, pl. V (7, 8); H. Stewart, Egyptian Steale II, 7, pl. 3.2.
30
C. Ziegler, 'Les statues d'Akhethetep', RDE 48 (1997), 247 ff., pl. XIX, fig. 2, 3; Idem, 'La mission
Archéologique du Musee du Louvre á Saqqara, 'Le mastaba d'Akhethetep A', BIFAO 97 (1997), 276, fig. 10.
31
E. Feucht, Der Koniglischen Pektorale Motive, Sinngehalt und Zweck (Bamberg, 1967), 32, 40 ff, pl. V,10; A.
Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, 89, pl. XX; C. Aldred, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, 191, pl. 26.
32
R. Engelbach, Harageh (London, 1923), 15 (nr. 69), pl. XV.2; Idem, Riqqeh and Memphis IV, pl.1; E. Feucht,
Der Koniglischen Pektorale Motive, 44 ff., pl. V, 9; A. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, 89.
33
A. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, 88, pl. XXII B.
34
E. Vernier, Bijoux et Orfevreires I,CGC (Le Caire, 1927); A. Bongioanni, The illustrated guide to the
Egyptian Museum in Cairo (Cairo & Turin 2001), 358.
35
British Museum, Guide to the third and fourth Egyptian rooms (London, 1904), 216 (n. 140); H. G. Fischer,
Ancient Egyptian representations of Turtles (New York, 1968), nr. 102.
36
J. Gayet, Steles de la XII dynastie, BEHE 16 (1889), 12, pl. LIV; A. Eissa, 'Zur Bildreihe der Stele Louver
C15- parallelen und Bedeutung', MDAIK 58 (Kairo, 2002), 227 f., 236 f., Abb. 1\I, Abb. 16.
37
A. Eissa, MDAIK 58, 236 ff, Abb. 16.
38
Gaulfeills, The Temple of the Kings at Abydos (1989), 16, pl. IX.
39
Wb. I, 416 (13); M. A. Murray, Index of name and titles of the old kingdom, BSAE I (London, 1908), pl.
XXXIII; W. Helck, Beamtentitlen, 34 f.; H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 13; N. de G. Davies, Deir el Gebraui I,
ASE 11 (1902), pls. 3, 8, 17; LD II, 31b, 46; S. Hassan, Giza II, 105 (7) and fig. 116; V, 276; IX, 84 and fig.
34; H. Junker, Giza II, 159, 162; III, 10, 94; XI, 126 (4), 133, 144; W. Ward, Index of Egyptian
Administrative and Religious Titles of Middle Kingdom, 130 (nr. 1110); D. Jones, Index II, 665 (nr. 2436:
‘Chief of Bat’).
- The author had discussed the title and the pendant of Bat in separated study under publication in
Annals.
40
H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 13; N. de G Davies, Deir el Gebraui I, pls. 3, 8, 17; LD II,46; W. Ward, Index of
Egyptian Administrative and Religious Titles of Middle Kingdom, 130 (nr. 1110).
P. Kaplony doesn't refer to any early occurrence for this title in the early dynasties; P. Kaplony, Die
Inschriften der Ägyptischen Frühzeit I-II, ÄA 8 (1963).
41
W. Helck, Beamtentitlen, 35.
42
E. Stahelein, MÄS 8, 131 f.
43
W. Helck, Beamtentitlen, 34 f.
44
J. von Beckerath, 'Ein Torso des Montemhet in München', ZÄS 87 (Berlin, 1962), 8; V. Selve, 'Le symbole Bat
avant la troisieme periode intermediate', DE 46 (2000), 91 ff.; B. Ockinga, 'New light on the Cairo Statues of
Saroy' in; M. El-Damaty & M. Trad (eds.), Egy. Coll. Around the world (Cairo, 2002), 879 ff.; A. Badawy,
The tomb of Cankhmacahor at Saqqara (London, 1978), 29 f.; Grdseloff, ASAE 40, 201; A. Varille,
'Inscriptions concernant l'architecte Amenhotep fils de Hapou', BDE 44 (1968), 91-95, Fig. 14, 15; S.
Simpson, The Mastabas of Kawab, Khafkhufu I and II, Giza III (Boston, 1978), 11 f., pl. VI b, fig. 27; H.
Geodicke, Re-used blocks from the Pyramid of Amenemhat I at Licht (London & USA, 1971), 38-41 (n. 17),
Fig. on page 39.
347
Goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor

45
A. Varille, BdE 44, 91-5.
46
H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 11; Idem, Dendera in the third millennium B.C. (New York, 1968), 33 f. (notes: 139,
140, and 141).
- She appeared to be 'Mistress of Stars', even before the stars were related to Hathor in the tale of
Nbt sbAw'.
Sinuhe, through the title 'Nbt sbAw Anthes had associated it with a much earlier reference in Pyr.705a;
which referring to the eye of Re 'which is upon the horns (or head) of Hathor' 'tp.t @tHr’. He
tp.t wp.t @tHr
demonstrated that the eye of Re is to be interpreted as a star and not, as has been previously thought,
the sun disk. The early depictions of Bat included some of this meaning, in last three depictions, that
have been mentioned in the last paragraph; R. Anthes, ZÄS 86, 8-9; H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 11.
47
E. Lefébvre, SPHINX 10, 118 f.; H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 12 f.; G. A. Reisner, The early dynastic cemetery of
Naga-ed-dêr I, pl. 6; A. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, 36, fig. 7; C. Aldred, Jewels of the pharaohs,
113; E. Stahelein, Untersuchungen zur Ägyptischen Tracht im Alten Reich, MÄS 8, (1966), 129 ff.
48
R. O. Faulkner, The Ancient Egyptian Coffin text II, 63 (Spell 411); M. Münster, MÄS 11, 115; B.
Altenmüller, Synkretismus, 55.
49
A. Klasens, The Excavations of the leiden Museum of antiquities at Abu-Roash, 50 ff., fig. 20, pl. XXV; C. J.
Bleeker, Hathor and Thoth: Two key figures of the Ancient Egyptian Religion (Leiden, 1973), 28 f.; A.
Mcfarlane, The god Min to the end of the Old Kingdom, 153 (nr. 312); T. A. Wilkinson, Early dynastic
Egypt, 282.
50
Her name, , ' Rpjjt, Rp(w)t',
Rp(w)t ( HIJKJs) goes back to the Early Dynastic Period, but her cult
became widely known in the Graeco-Roman Period, and her cult centre was of Atriphis (9th Nome of
Upper Egypt); - Wb. II, 415, 1-11; K. Piehl, 'La déesse ', PSPA 20,(1898),223ff; H. Gauthier, 'La
déesse Triphis', BIFAO 3 (1903), 165-181 ff.; W. Ward, 'Lexicograhical Miscellanies', SAK 5 (1977), 265-
275; U. Ressler-Köhler, 'Repit', LÄ V, cols. 236 ff.
51
L. Troy, Patterns of the Queen Ship, 80 ff: Troy suggested another aspect of their relationship through the
synonym between the two terms 'rpy, BA'. The term ' rpy
rpy, BA rpy' means 'image or statue, figure’, the female of
twt' 'statue’ which including the statue of the gods, and this statue represented the ' bA'
'twt
twt bA soul of the god
who is inside his statue. She also suggested this relationship through their names; Bat represented the
'female soul or goddess', and Repyt is the 'female image' of the statue 'twt twt'.
twt
52
A. Piankoff, 'Le naos D29 du muse du louver', RdE 1 (1933), 164 f.,175, fig. 4.
53
Wb. III, 518, (1-2).
54
Gaufeills and W. M. F. Petrie, Temple of the Kings at Abydos, Sety I, 16, pl. IX.
55
K. Sethe, Urgeschichte (Leipzig, 1930), 40 f., nr. 58; Sh. Allam, Beiträge zur HathorKult bis zum Ende des
Mitteren Reiches, MWS 4 (1964), 18 f ; LÄ I, cols. 1024 f.; D. Vischak, 'Hathor', in Donald B. Redford (ed.),
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt II (Cairo 2001), 82f.
56
K. Sethe, Urgeschichte, 40 f., nr. 58; H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 7, 12 f.; T. A. Wilkinson, Early dynastic Egypt,
283.
57
P. Lacau & H. Chevrier, Une chapelle de Seosteris1er A Karnak I, 225; II, pl. 3; H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 11f.
58
T. A. Wilkinson, Early dynastic Egypt (London, 2003), 283.
59
H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 12 f.
60
A. Gardiner, Sinuhe, 104 (line: 271); H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1, 11, ( note: 29).
61
A. Gardiner, Sinuhe, 104 (line: 271); H. G. Fischer, JARCE 1,11, ( note: 29); B. Altenmüller, Synkretismus in
den sargtexten, GÖF IV 7 (1975), 130 f.
62
LÄ I, cols. 1024 f.; H. Frankfort, Kingship and the Gods: A study of Ancient Near Eastern Religion as the
integration of society of nator (Chichago, 1948), 171; S. Allam, MJS 4, 112f ; I. Shaw, 'Hathor', British
Museum Dictionary I (London, 1997), 73 f., 119.
63
Pyr. 546 b: K. Sethe, PT (1960), 278; Firth & J. Quibell, Step Pyramid, I, 113, 161; W. Smith, A History of
Egyptian sculpture and painting in the Old Kingdom (1949), 113, fig. 28; R. Faulkner, PT, 108 (Utter. 335).
64
Pyr. 1096b; CT 237; T. A. Wilkinson, Early Pre-dynastic Egypt, 282; R. Wilkinson, The complete gods and
goddesses of Egypt, 171.
65
A. Klasens, The excavations of the Leiden Museum of Antiq. at Abu-Roash II, 50-54, fig.20, pl. XXV; A.
Mcfarlane, The god Min to the end of the Old Kingdom, (Sydney, 1995), 153 (nr. 312).
66
G. Pinch, Votive offerings to Hathor (Oxford, 1993), 135 ff., 159, fig. 13, pls. 20, 25a, 28, 29, 40; R.
Wilkinson, The complete gods and goddesses, 171.
67
G. Pinch, Votive offerings to Hathor, 135.
68
L. Habachi, 'King Neb-hepet-Re Menthuhotp: His Monuments, Place in History, Deification and unusual
Representation in The Form of Gods', MDAIK 19 (1963), 26-27, fig. 8 and pl. 8.
69
O. Keel & Keel-Leu, OBO 88,158, Abb. 136.
70
O. Keel & Keel-Leu, OBO 88, 161, Abb. 137.

348