Bat - Cow Goddess of Upper Egypt

Goddess of 7th Nome of Upper Egypt known as the 'Mansion of the sistrum'. Hut, Hut-Sekhem (Diospolis Parva, Hiw) Known as the City of Sistrum.

Bat is an ancient goddess she is thought to be the goddess depicted on the Narmer Palette; showing an early association with kingship. She is very rarely depicted in statuary and monumental inscriptions and is more often found on amuletic jewelery.

An amuletic bangle made in gold and silver c2000-1800BC shows protective symbols including wadjet eyes, djed pillars and ankh signs, also shown is the horned mask of the goddess Bat. The amulet was probably used to place the wearer with a protective circle.

The name of Bat is thought to be the feminine form of the word 'b3'; soul. References to her can be found in the Pyramid Texts in Utterance 506 (§1095), where the king identifies himself with 'Bat with Her two faces'.

She can also be found mentioned in the Coffin Texts in Spell 334: Becoming The Sistrum Player; "... before the sun was firm on the horns, before the face of B3t was knit on." and in Spell 441 "O B3t, my name is 'Isis in the sealed place'.

She is depicted with a human head and body with bovine ears and horns. There is a strong connection with Hathor, another cow goddess, and her character and powers were totally assimilated by Hathor by Middle Kingdom. Like Hathor she is connected with fertility. As with all cow-goddesses there are celestial associations.