Egyptian Gods

Hapy was the ancient Egyptian God of Nile. He is one of the important deities for the Egyptians who living in the Nile valley. His name Hapy also known as Hep, Hap or Hapi, that was originally the pre-dynasty name for the Nile. He was personified as a fertility god, referring to fertile inundation brought by him.

Hapy appearance portrayed as a man with full breasts and a large belly that represent the fertility of the Nile. His skin usually blue or green in colour that representing water. Hapy was both god of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, this duality was shown by having twin Hapy deities. As a god of Upper Egypt he was called ‘Hap-Meht’ wearing lotus plants as a headdress as the symbol of that region. On the other hand, as a god of Lower Egypt he was called ‘Hap-Reset’ wearing papyrus plants headdress as a symbol of it.

He was said to become the husband of the vulture goddess Nekhbet in Upper Egypt and the cobra goddess Wadjet in Lower Egypt. He was also usually associated with Nun, the waters of chaos and paired with Naunet (Nun’s wife and female aspect). So, he was link with Osiris.

Hapy was more the personification of the inundation of the Nile, than of the river itself. Some of the epithets given for Hapy are such as “Lord of the Fishes”, “Lord of the River Bringing Vegetation” and “Birds of the Marshes”. During the annual flooding of the Nile was said to be the “Arrival of Hapy” and the Egyptian would throw offerings into Nile at certain places, sacred to Hapy. The flood was the source of the country’s wealth and prosperity.

Hapy was worshiped throughout Egypt, especially at Aswan and Gebel El-Silisila. But there was no temple or cult built to honour Hapy.

Note: The name Hapy can be spelled either Hapy or Hapi, do note confused with the baboon “Hapi”, one of the “”four sons of Horus” who guarded the lungs of the dead.