Hapi - The God of the Nile

Hapi - The God of the Nile

by Günther Eichhorn

The God of the Nile and the annual floods. The annual flood was a life-giving event. Without it there would be no fertile land in Egypt. He is often shown as a dual deity, one with lotus flowers on his head, as representative of Upper Egypt, and one with papyrus on his head, as representative of Lower Egypt. They are shown tying lotus and papyrus around a stem which is the Nile, representing the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Relief of the dual God Hapi in the Luxor Temple. On the left is Hapi of Upper Egypt with the Lotus on his head, on the right Hapi of Lower Egypt with the Papyrus on his head. On the left face of the column is Seshat, the Goddess of Astronomy. (527k) Another relief of the dual God Hapi in the Luxor Temple. (365k) Relief of Hapi in the Temple of Horus in Edfu. (272k) Relief of Hapi in the Temple of Kom Ombo. (374k) Relief of Hapi in the Philae Temple of Isis. (281k)

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