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Meret
Meret
Meret
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Meret
Meret wearing a bundle of lotus
SymbolBlue lotus
Papyrus reed
Genealogy
SpouseHapi

In Egyptian mythology, Meret (also spelled Mert) was a goddess who was strongly associated with rejoicing, such as singing and dancing.

In myth

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Meret was a token wife occasionally given to Hapi, the god of the Nile flood. Her name being a reference to this, meaning simply the beloved. As token wife, she was usually depicted with the same associations as Hapi, having on her head either the blue lotus for Upper Egypt, or the papyrus plant for Lower Egypt. Since Hapi was the source of bountifulness, Meret was usually depicted with an offering bowl, as she was seen, being his wife, as the symbolic recipient of his generosity.

Among the lower classes, where nationalism was less important than successful harvest, she was more strongly considered the wife of Hapi than the protectresses of Lower and Upper Egypt, which were more normally his wife in the upper classes. As a deity whose role was to be the symbolic receiver of bounty from the inundation of the Nile, she was strongly associated with rejoicing, such as singing and dancing.[1] Later stories tell that Meret was the goddess of the eighth hour, in the Book of Gates.

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Meret

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In , Meret (also spelled Mert or Merit), meaning "beloved", was a strongly associated with rejoicing, , singing, and dancing. She embodied the joy and harmony essential to religious rituals and cosmic order, often depicted as a pair of goddesses known as the Merety to represent duality in Egyptian cosmology. Meret is frequently shown with outstretched arms in a of clapping or conducting, holding symbols such as the (a rattle instrument) or necklace, which were used in temple ceremonies to invoke divine presence and celebrate the Nile's inundation. As companions to the sun god , the Merety aided in his daily journey, contributing to the maintenance of Ma'at (cosmic balance) through their performative roles in funerary texts like the and . She was sometimes identified with pairs like and or the protective uraei cobras. Though not the focus of major temples, Meret was honored in rituals across , particularly in contexts of fertility, love, and agricultural renewal linked to the Nile god Hapi. Aspects such as Meret Shemau ("Meret of the Southern Lands") appear in New Kingdom art, depicting her as a chantress greeting pharaohs in ceremonial races at Thebes. Her legacy reflects the integration of art, music, and spirituality in ancient Egyptian worship.

Etymology

Name Meaning

The name Meret derives from the ancient Egyptian root mri (transliterated variably as mry or mr), which means "to ," rendering the name as "beloved" or "loved one." This linguistic element appears in hieroglyphic inscriptions, where mri functions as a denoting and is extended to form nouns expressing endearment. In ancient Egyptian nomenclature, mri-derived terms served as epithets for deities, royalty, and common individuals alike, emphasizing personal or divine favor and closeness to the gods. Such usages highlighted the recipient's cherished status, often in religious or royal contexts to invoke , , or relational with the divine realm. For the goddess Meret, the name specifically evokes her embodiment of divine affection, positioning her as a figure of favor who facilitates cosmic balance and joy through her associations with and celebration. This interpretive nuance aligns with her occasional depiction as a consort to , the god, where "beloved" underscores her role in nurturing fertility and equilibrium in the natural order.

Linguistic Variants

The name Meret is rendered in hieroglyphic script as mrt, representing the feminine singular perfective passive of the mrj ("to "), thus denoting "the beloved one." This orthography, typically written with the biliteral phonogram for mr (hoe, Gardiner U7), the uniliteral for t (bread loaf, Gardiner X1), and an optional feminine ending or for a or abstract concept, remains consistent across Middle and Late Egyptian texts. Phonetic reconstructions of the name vary slightly based on Egyptological conventions for vocalization, commonly rendered as "Meret," "Mert," or "Merit," approximating the ancient pronunciation as /ˈmɛɾɛt/ or similar in the Middle Egyptian period. In the dual form, mrṯy or "Merety," it refers to the twin manifestations of the goddess, often depicted as paired figures symbolizing harmony and reciprocity in ritual contexts. The name's usage evolves across historical periods, appearing in inscriptions as a designation for divine musicians and singers, and persisting into the New Kingdom and Ptolemaic era in funerary and temple texts, where it connects semantically to concepts of (ḥꜥj) and celebration through its of and delight, though distinct from specific terms for musical instruments like the (bnt). While no direct Greek transliterations of Meret are attested in surviving sources, the name's form in demotic and hieratic scripts shows minor dialectical variations in Late Egyptian, such as abbreviated writings in magical papyri, reflecting regional pronunciations in the .

Iconography

Depictions

In ancient Egyptian art, Meret was commonly depicted as a female figure embodying joy and music, often portrayed as a chantress or musician in ritual scenes. She is recognizable by a distinctive curl at the end of her long hair and a characteristic gesture of greeting or clapping her hands, as seen in New Kingdom limestone reliefs from Thebes. These representations emphasize her role in divine ceremonies, where she appears alone or in pairs known as the Merety, symbolizing harmony and the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. Meret frequently holds musical instruments such as the or , reflecting her association with song and dance; for instance, engravings on bronze from the Late Period show her flanking the handle, rendered as elegant women in fitted attire. In temple and tomb reliefs, she is shown in processions or greeting pharaohs, chanting phrases like "Come and bring" to the ruler during ceremonial events, as preserved in scenes of royal jubilees. Such portrayals often feature her in translucent robes, a stylistic convention for female musicians that highlights grace and vitality. Notable examples include her appearance in the tomb of (KV 11) in the Valley of the Kings, where an Upper Egyptian variant with a lotus headdress adorns the rear wall of Chamber D1, participating in a ritual procession. In New Kingdom art, particularly from Dynasty 18 onward, Meret's depictions become more anthropomorphic and integrated into larger ensembles of deities, occasionally sharing iconographic elements like musical attributes with in temple facades and ritual barks. Earlier representations from are sparser, focusing on her as a solitary figure in solar or inundation contexts, while Ptolemaic examples in coffins and stelae show her in pairs raising offerings in barks, underscoring her enduring symbolic role.

Symbols and Attributes

Meret, as a goddess of music and rejoicing, is emblematic of the sistrum and harp, instruments that embody joy and the harmonious order of the in ancient Egyptian rituals. The , a sacred rattle evoking the sound of swaying in the wind, is directly linked to Meret through depictions on ceremonial objects, where her figure adorns the instrument to invoke divine gladness and protection during performances. The harp, meanwhile, represents the melodic essence of her domain, played to celebrate life's rhythms and align earthly festivities with celestial balance, as described in temple contexts associating her with musical veneration akin to Hathor's. The lotus flower serves as a key attribute tying Meret to , often worn as a headdress by one of the twin Meret goddesses, symbolizing renewal, creation, and the southern region's vitality. Complementing this, the necklace—a broad, beaded collar with a that produces a rattling sound when shaken—highlights her role in rhythmic , facilitating ecstatic movements that mirror the pulse of celebration and in religious ceremonies. In pairings with Hapy, the Nile god, Meret's attributes extend to symbols of inundation and abundance, including water jugs that denote the river's life-giving floods and motifs of overflowing fertility, underscoring her as the "beloved" recipient of the 's bounty in cosmological scenes.

Mythological Role

Associations with Deities

In , Meret functioned as a symbolic consort or "token wife" to Hapy, the deified Nile inundation, representing the "beloved" fertility and life-giving abundance of the river's annual floods. Her name, derived from the term meaning "beloved," directly evokes this affectionate pairing, emphasizing the joyous renewal Hapy brought to the land through his waters. Meret was closely identified with and in contexts involving music, , and celebration, where she embodied the harmonious sounds that pleased these goddesses of joy and performance. Priestesses often impersonated Meret as singers and dancers in 's cults from onward, performing in temple processions, festivals, and royal sed-festivals while shaking sistra and clapping to invoke divine ecstasy. She occasionally merged with , the goddess of nourishment and harvest, in ceremonial roles celebrating the abundance of the fields with song and rejoicing. As the twin Merety, Meret appeared as protective attendants to in solar mythology, accompanying the sun god on his daily journey and sustaining his vitality through their musical performances, as attested in spells 440–443 and 450. In funerary myths, the Merety served as cobras guarding and the deceased, their protective songs and threats against chaos ensuring renewal in the , with parallels drawn in spells 37, 41B, 58, and 122.

Functions in Cosmology

In ancient Egyptian cosmology, Meret played a pivotal role in upholding , the principle of cosmic order, truth, and harmony, through her domain of , song, and ritual gestures. As the goddess embodying divine harmonies and rhythms, she was credited with establishing and maintaining the balance of the universe by arousing the gods and synchronizing their actions in ceremonial contexts. Her performances were not merely artistic but integral to cosmic stability, where song and dance served to align divine forces against disorder, effectively pacifying chaotic elements that threatened the structured world. This function is evident in funerary texts, where Meret, often as the twin Merety, accompanies the solar deity Re to ensure the perpetuation of order. Meret's involvement extended to the daily journey of the sun god aboard the , where her music and protective presence were essential for the deity's renewal and triumph over the . Depicted as noble companions of Re, the Merety "make health for Re daily," facilitating his passage through the and safeguarding the cyclical rebirth of the sun that underpinned Egyptian cosmology. In this capacity, they manifest as uraei—fiery cobras whose songs and spits of flame defend the against adversarial forces, symbolizing the harmonious integration of joy and vigilance in cosmic defense. This ritualistic aid reinforced by ensuring the sun's predictable course, vital for the world's ongoing creation and stability. Meret's cosmic duties also intertwined with the annual renewal of the land through the 's inundation, where her rejoicing symbolized the joyful reception of the flood's bounty and its role in regenerating . As a of celebration during this life-giving event, she linked personal and divine ecstasy to the broader cycle of cosmic rejuvenation, embodying the harmony between human delight and natural order. Occasionally paired with Hapy, the god of the flood, Meret amplified these themes of abundance and rhythmic balance in rituals honoring the inundation's transformative power.

Worship and Legacy

Cult Practices

The cult practices of Meret, the ancient Egyptian goddess of and rejoicing, centered on performative rituals that invoked and harmony through , , and instrumental , primarily within temple settings and festivals. These practices often involved female priestesses known as chantresses (smayt), who impersonated Meret by performing rhythmic vocalizations and percussion, using instruments such as sistra and clappers to accompany sacred rites. Chantresses, organized into phyles serving deities like and , participated in daily temple rituals where they offered to honor the gods, emphasizing Meret's role in establishing cosmic order through rhythmic gestures like clapping. Musical performances and dances dedicated to Meret were prominent in temple ceremonies, where groups of chantresses sang and danced in processions, often depicted in tomb scenes from the New Kingdom such as those in Theban tombs (e.g., TT 78). These acts symbolized communal rejoicing and were integral to festivals like the Beautiful Feast of the Valley, which celebrated the Nile's bounty and involved offerings of musical instruments such as the rattle and , presented to Meret's image to invoke and harmony. Lotuses, emblematic of the Nile's inundation and Upper Egypt's , were also offered during these Nile-related festivals, reinforcing Meret's association with seasonal renewal and joyful abundance. Meret's cult extended into royal ceremonies, where her symbolic presence through chantresses enhanced the pharaoh's legitimacy and vitality. In events like the , chantresses performed music and hailed the king, mimicking Meret's to signify divine approval and rejuvenation, as seen in ritual depictions from sites like . During and rites, such performances integrated Meret's joyful essence, with priestesses offering sistra to accompany the pharaoh's ritual investiture, blending music with sacred oils to affirm eternal rule. Archaeological evidence from Theban temples underscores these practices, highlighting their role in both elite and communal devotion.

Historical Evidence

Archaeological evidence for the veneration of Meret, the goddess associated with music and rejoicing, first appears in through inscriptions in complexes. A notable example is a from the complex at North, reused in the Middle Kingdom but originating from Dynasty 4 (ca. 2575–2551 B.C.), during the reign of Snefru. In this scene from the king's thirty-year rituals, Meret is depicted chanting phrases such as "Come and bring" to the , highlighting her role in royal rejuvenation ceremonies. Such inscriptions underscore her integration into state-sponsored religious practices centered on the pharaoh's divine kingship. During the New Kingdom, textual and iconographic evidence expands, particularly in royal tombs of the 19th and 20th Dynasties. In KV 11, the tomb of (20th Dynasty, ca. 1186–1155 B.C.), a in Room D1 shows Meret offering a to the king, attesting to her continued presence in funerary contexts as a benevolent figure aiding the royal . Similarly, a Dynasty 18 (ca. 1514–1493 B.C.) from in Thebes portrays Meret Shemau, or "Meret of the Southern Lands," as a chantress greeting the king in a ceremonial race, identifiable by her curled hairdo and clapping gesture. These tomb inscriptions reflect Meret's function in ensuring harmony and celebration in the divine realm. Artifacts further document her cult, including sistrum amulets from New Kingdom sites (Dynasties 19–20, ca. 1295–1070 B.C.), which evoke musical protection and are linked to rejoicing deities like Meret through their association with rhythmic rituals. Excavations in , such as those yielding symbolic representations with plants denoting her ties to the region's inundation and , provide additional material evidence of localized . Textual references appear in papyri hymns, where Meret (or Merety) is invoked alongside other goddesses in praises of cosmic order and joy, as seen in fragmentary New Kingdom compositions. Following the New Kingdom, Meret's prominence waned, with sparse attestations in the Third Intermediate and Late Periods, signaling a decline in dedicated cult practices amid the consolidation of major deities like and .
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