Difference between revisions of "Imsety"

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[[File:Imsety Jar.jpg|400px|thumb|Canopic Jar of Imsety from the Late Period]]
[[File:Imsety Jar.jpg|400px|thumb|Canopic Jar of Imsety from the Late Period]]
'''Imsety''' (in ancient Egyptian: ''imsti''; also spelled '''Imseti''' or '''Amset''') is one of the four sons of [[Horus]], along with [[Hapi]], [[Duamutef]], and [[Qebehsenuef]].
'''Imsety''' (in ancient Egyptian: ''qbḥ-snw.f''; also spelled '''Imseti''' or '''Amset''') is one of the four sons of [[Horus]], along with [[Hapy]], [[Duamutef]], and [[Qebehsenuef]].


Although the other sons of Horus have animal heads, he has the head of a human. In a funerary context, he was responsible for protecting the liver of mummified people. As ruler of one of the four cardinal directions, Imsety was associated with the south.
Although the other sons of Horus have animal heads, he has the head of a human. In a funerary context, he was responsible for protecting the liver of mummified people. As ruler of one of the four cardinal directions, Imsety was associated with the south.
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His name is characterized by the use of hieroglyph Aa14, the Egyptian symbol for a human rib.
His name is characterized by the use of hieroglyph Aa14, the Egyptian symbol for a human rib.


The name of Imsety incorporates the Egyptian grammatical dual ending (-''ty'' or -''wy''), and therefore, along with Hapi, may have actually been a set of twin deities. There is evidence to support this in the somewhat feminine appearance of Imsety on some canopic jars.
The name of Imsety incorporates the Egyptian grammatical dual ending (-''ty'' or -''wy''), and therefore, along with Hapy, may have actually been a set of twin deities. There is evidence to support this in the somewhat feminine appearance of Imsety on some canopic jars.


==Origin==
==Origin==
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One theory suggests the four sons of Horus are actually four stars in the constellation Ursa Major, which was known to the ancient Egyptians as ''msxtyw'', the Foreleg of Set. This asterism contained a total of seven stars, and these four would have been located in the "meaty" part of the thigh. In an astronomical context, these four stars formed a border between the southern sky and the northern sky, thereby drawing a barrier between Set and Sah (the constellation Orion).
One theory suggests the four sons of Horus are actually four stars in the constellation Ursa Major, which was known to the ancient Egyptians as ''msxtyw'', the Foreleg of Set. This asterism contained a total of seven stars, and these four would have been located in the "meaty" part of the thigh. In an astronomical context, these four stars formed a border between the southern sky and the northern sky, thereby drawing a barrier between Set and Sah (the constellation Orion).
In this context, Imsety was likely the star Dubhe (Alpha Ursae Majoris). This star was also called ''Ak'' ("The eye") by ancient Egyptians.


[[Category:Egyptian gods]]
[[Category:Egyptian gods]]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Sons of Horus]]

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