Meskhenet

Meskhenet was one of the Goddesses who officiated at both the birth of a child in this world and the re-birth of the soul in the Afterworld.

According to the Papyrus Westcar, now in the Berlin Museum, Meskenet not only ensured the safe delivery of a child from the womb, but decided the destiny of the child as well.

The Westcar Papyrus was most probably written in the 12th Dynasty. The papyrus tells of five magical stories which take place in the 4th Dynasty reign of King Khufu. According to one tale, Hardjedef, the fourth son of the king, brings the magician Djedi before his father. Djedi prophesizes the wondrous birth of the three kings who would found the following dynasty: Userkaf, Sahure, and Neferirkare.

It happened that Rudjedet, the wife of a priest of Re, was pregnant with three children of the God. When her time to deliver the children arrived, her labor was difficult, indeed:

Dd.in Hm n.y ra nb sAXbw n As.t nb.t-Hw.t

Thus his Majesty, Re, Lord of Sakhbu, said to Isis, Nephthys,

msi-xn.t Hq.t Xnm.w

Meskhenet, Heket and Khnum:

Hwy-A SAs=Tn s-msi=Tn

Would that you travel that you may cause to deliver

rd-Dd.t m pA-Xrd.w xmt

Rudjedet of the three children

nty(.w) m X.t=s nty(.w) r iri.t iA.t twy mnx.t

who are in her belly (womb) and who are to make potent office holders

m tA pn r Dr=f

of this entire land.

The Goddesses, in the guise of dancing girls, set off with Khnum as their porter. After convincing Rawoser, Rudjedet's despondent husband, that they were experienced midwives, they were invited in to assist:

aHa.n xtm.n=sn a.t Hr=s Hna=s

Then they sealed the chamber upon her and them.

aHa.n rdi.in sy As.t xft Hr=s , nb.t-Hw.t HA=s Hq.t Hr s-xx msi.w.t

Then Isis placed herself in front of her, Nephthys behind her, and Heket was hastening the birth.

A child of one cubit, strong boned, his limbs overlaid with gold, his Royal headdress of lapis lazuli, rushed out. He was washed and set upon a pillow of cloth.

aHa.n mzA.n sy msi-xn.t r=f

Then Meskhenet extended herself to him.

aHa.n Dd.n=s nsw.t iri.ty=fy n.y.t-sw.t m tA pn r Dr=f

Then she said: "A king who will exercise the office of kingship in this entire land!"

For each of the other two future king's, the process was repeated.

Dimitri Meeks speaks of Meskhenet as the 'Spirit of the Birth Stool," conferring to each person at birth, their potentials and abilities.

Sometimes the Goddess is portrayed as the personification of the very birth-brick upon which a woman squatted to deliver her child.

Meskhenet was also present in the Hall of the Double Ma'at. Standing near the scales, she assisted in the re-birth of the soul in the afterlife, as she aided the birthing of the newborn into this world.

When portrayed in anthropomorphic form, Meskhenet wears the symbol of a cow's uterous upon her head.