Heryshaf | |||||
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![]() Heryshaf | |||||
Name in hieroglyphs |
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Major cult center | Heracleopolis Magna | ||||
Equivalents | |||||
Greek | Heracles Dionysos |
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Ancient Egyptian religion |
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In Egyptian mythology, Heryshaf, or Hershef (Ancient Egyptian: ḥrj š f "He who is on His Lake"),[1] transcribed in Greek as Harsaphes or Arsaphes (Koinē Greek: Ἁρσαφής) was an ancient ram deity whose cult was centered in ancient Heracleopolis Magna. He was identified with Ra and Osiris in ancient Egyptian religion,[1] as well as Dionysus[2] or Heracles in the interpretatio graeca. The identification with Heracles may be related to the fact that in later times his name was sometimes reanalysed as ḥrj-šf.t "He who is over strength". One of his titles was "Ruler of the Riverbanks". Heryshaf was a creator and fertility god who was born from the primordial waters. He was pictured as a ram or a man with a ram's head.