Meskhenet: Egyptian Goddess Of Household And Childbirth Who Governed Over Fate And Destiny

A. Sutherland - AncientPages. com - In ancient Egyptian beliefs, Meskhenet (Meskhent) was a goddess associated with childbirth, motherhood, and destiny. By breathing into each newborn child, Meskhenet gave each child, Ka a part of their soul.

Representation for Meskhenet. Image credit: Rowanwindwhistler - CC BY-SA 3.0

The goddess was responsible for creating the Ka and therefore, she was associated with fate, because, at the time of a child’s birth, she determined its destiny.

From the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC) onwards, this particular role of Meskhenet was taken by the male god Shai (Shay) that symbolized the concept of fate in Egyptian mythology. Sometimes, Shai was believed to be a female, and another time, he was Meskenet’s husband. Both are mentioned in the Book of the Dead.

Meskhenet's name can be interpreted as "happening" or "coincidence", as the coincidence of the omens usually accompany birth and determine destiny, but she was also known as Meskhenet ('The Place of Alighting'). She was a highly respected household deity, mentioned in a large number of prayers and hymns, and venerated from the earliest of times by ancient Egyptians.

There was no cult site devoted to her.

Meskhenet Depicted On Birthing Bricks

Most of Meskhenet’s depictions were found on birthing bricks. In ancient Egypt, women delivered babies while squatting on a pair of bricks, known as birth bricks, and Meskhenet was the goddess associated with this delivery tradition.

Relief in the interior of the Hathor Temple of Deir el-Medina ("Monastery of the City"), Ancient Egyptian Set Maat ("Place of Truth"), in Thebes West at Luxor, Egypt. IMage credit: Olaf Tausch  - CC BY 3.0

She was sometimes depicted with the characteristic headdress of a cow's uterus, and her head probably symbolized the womb while other depictions showed her as a birthing brick with a human head.

In her hand, she is holding an ankh, the symbol of life.

In ancient Egyptian tradition, birthing bricks played an important role.

"Birthing bricks were carried in and a simple construction soon took shape in the middle of the room which looked like a stone stool. When the labor pains became insistent Hatshepsut would be lifted onto this device and this would make the delivery of the baby easier for the mother while allowing the attendant midwives access to assist in the delivery.

Bowls of oil were brought in and two of the ladies began to gently massage the arms, neck, and shoulders of the queen in order to help her to relax while perfumes and blocks of incense were burned to provide a restful and pleasing atmosphere.

While all these preparations were being carried out Hatshepsut was aware of little other than the presence of the child whom she had carried for nine months and who was now insisting in a most vigorous way to be allowed to make its entrance into the world. Two of the ladies-in-waiting soothed the queen’s forehead with cool cloths and several priestesses chanted invocation to [Taweret] Tauret, the hippopotamus goddess of childbirth to ensure a safe and trouble-free birth...." (Poorta, Glenys , "Hatshepsut The Queen who was King".

Meskhenet Was Also A Funerary Goddess

According to ancient Egyptian Papyrus Westcar, the goddess Meskhenet was involved in giving a prophecy at the birth of the first three kings Userkaf, Sahure, and Neferirkare Kakai of the 5th Dynasty (2494-2345) who would become rulers of  Egypt.

All three of them were buried at Abusi ("the House or Temple of Osiris"), the ancient site with an extensive necropolis dated to the Old Kingdom.

However, Meskhenet was not only related to birth and fate. She was also a funerary goddess participating at the judgment of the deceased helping them in their rebirth in the afterlife.

This role she played was somewhat similar to that Meskhenet had in life (or more exactly, at the beginning of life). Both Egyptian gods Anubis and Meskhenet participated in afterlife ceremonies but their responsibilities were different.

Written by – A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

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