Meskhenet

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Meskhenet

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Meshkent; Meshkhenet

ORIGIN:

Egypt

Meskhenet, Goddess of Childbirth, protects laboring women and newborn babies. She is a mistress of magic and an expert on charms, spells, and incantations. Meskhenet is a spirit of destiny who may reveal or ordain the child’s future at birth. She also assists with rebirth into the afterlife, following a person’s death.

FAVOURED PEOPLE:

Midwives

MANIFESTATION:

She manifests as a beautiful woman wearing a headdress in the form of a cow’s uterus. She sometimes appears to laboring women in her guise as the Four Meskhenets: dancing girls. They also dance at Khnum’s side, chanting incantations and banishing evil.

ICONOGRAPHY:

A brick topped by a woman’s head

ATTRIBUTE:

The birthing brick on which Egyptian women would kneel during labor

Emblem: Cow’s uterus

SEE ALSO:

Anubis; Fairy, Birth; Hathor; Isis; Khnum; Ma’at

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses – Written by : Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.

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