Egyptian Child Gods

Ihy

Picture: The child god Ihy, son of Hathor, Roman birth house, Dendera. Elsewhere, the god was sometimes regarded as the child of other Egyptian gods.

Mythology of Ihy

Ihy was a child god, whose name was interpreted by the ancient Egyptians themselves as 'sistrum player' or 'musician' and who personified the jubilation associated with the use of the sacred instrument. Another meaning of his name could be 'calf', referring to his relation to the cow Hathor who was usualy held to be his mother - as at Dendera, and at Edfu where he appears as Harsomptus. Ihy was also regarded as the son of certain other deities, however, and could be associated in this way with Isis, Nephthys and even Sekhmet. While Horus was most commonly viewed as Ihy's father, the god was also said to be the offspring of Ra. Although his mythological nature was primarily connected with his music, he was also connected with the afterlife in some contexts. In the Coffin Texts and the Book of the Dead Ihy is called 'the lord of bread' and said to be 'in charge of the beer' in reference to offerings, but also possibly in allusion to ritual celebrations which involved intoxication in the worship of Hathor.

Iconography of Ihy

The god was depicted as a naked boy, wearing the sidelock of youth and with his finger to his mouth. He is not always shown in diminutive size, however, and may be depicted at the same scale as his mother and other deities or the king appearing in the same scene. He may also wear the uraeus on his brow and is sometimes depicted holding the sistrum and the menat necklace which were his symbols and those of his mother, Hathor. Despite Ihy's usual depiction in anthropomorphic form, there is limited evidence of the god being depicted in the form of a calf.

Worship of Ihy

As the son of Horus and Hathor, Ihy was one of the triad of Egyptian gods worshipped at Dendera and this was his main cult site. A very early shrine in this location was rebuilt in the 4th dynasty by Khufu and specifically depicted to Hathor and to Ihy. The god plays particularly important roles in the mammisi or birth house of Nectanebo I at Dendera where his divine conception and birth - and that of the king - were celebrated, and where 'mystery plays' in 13 acts concerning the divine birth appear to have been performed. A second birth house at this site built for Caesar Augustus celebrates the divine birth of Ihy as the son of Hathor.