Egyptian Gods

Meskhenet is an ancient Egyptian god who known as the Goddess of Childbirth. Her name Meskhenet also spelled as Mesenet, Meskhent or Meshkent. She was worshipped since the earliest of times by Egyptians.

Her appearance portrayed as a brick with a woman’s head or as a woman with brick as a head. Occasionally, she also depicted as a woman with the image of a cow’s uterus above her head.

The ancient Egyptian women delivered their babies by squatted upon a pair of bricks, known as birth bricks. Meskhenet is who presided over and assisted with childbirth. After bringing a baby safely into the world, Meskhenet takes a decision on its destiny at the time of birth. Meskhenet was primarily associated with the birth of mortal babies.

According to myth, Meskhenet was present at the birth of triplets (Userkaf, Sahure and Neferirkare) and foretold their destiny that they will the first three kings of the 5th Dynasty.

On the other hand, Meskhenet also influence in the resurrection of death people. She appeared in the Hall of Judgement, near the scale when the heart of the deceased was to be weighed against the feather of truth. She could testify to the character of the deceased and assist at a symbolic rebirth in the Afterlife.

There was no temple specifically dedicated for Meskhenet and she is not associated with any region or city. Nevertheless, she appears on birth bricks found all over Egypt. She had been a popular and respected deity.