Anuket was the ancient Egyptian goddess of the cataracts of the Nile and Lower Nubia in general, worshipped especially at Elephantine near the First Cataract.
Etymology
In ancient Egyptian, she was known as Anuket, Anaka, or Anqet. Her name meant the "Clasper" or "Embracer". In Greek, this became Anucis (), sometimes also spelled Anoukis or Anukis. In the interpretatio graeca, she was considered equivalent to Hestia or Vesta.
History and roles
She was originally the daughter of Ra, but was always related to Satet in some way. For example, both goddesses were called the "Eye of Ra", along with Bastet, Hathor, and Sekhmet.
She was associated with swift moving water, and this was the reason for her association with papyruses. or she may have been a junior consort to Khnum instead.
During the New Kingdom, Anuket's cult at Elephantine included a river procession of the goddess during the first month of Shemu. Inscriptions mention the processional festival of Khnum and Anuket during this period.
thumb|right|Anouké or Anouki (Anucè, Anucis, Istia, Estia, Vesta), N372.2, [[Brooklyn Museum]]
Ceremonially, when the Nile started its annual flood, the Festival of Anuket began. People threw coins, gold, jewelry, and precious gifts into the river, in thanks to the goddess for the life-giving water and returning benefits derived from the wealth provided by her fertility. The taboo held in several parts of Egypt, against eating certain fish which were considered sacred, was lifted during this time, suggesting that a fish species of the Nile was a totem for Anuket and that they were consumed as part of the ritual of her major religious festival. She was seen as bringing forth the flood.
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