Heryshaf: Difference between revisions

| symbol = Man with the head of a Ram

In [[Egyptian mythology]], '''Heryshaf''', or '''Hershef''', ({{lang-egy|[[wikt:ḥrj#Egyptian|ḥrj]] [[wikt:š#Egyptian|š]] [[wikt:f#Egyptian|f]]}} "He who is on His Lake"),<ref name=forty>Forty, Jo. ''Mythology: A Visual Encyclopedia'', Sterling Publishing Co., 2001, p. 84.</ref> transcribed in [[Greek language|Greek]] as '''Harsaphes''' ({{lang-grc-koi|Ἁρσαφής}}) was an ancient [[sheep|ram]] deity whose cult was centered in ancient [[Heracleopolis Magna]]. He was identified with [[Ra]] and [[Osiris]] in [[ancient Egyptian religion]],<ref name=forty/> as well as [[Dionysus]]<ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], Metamorphoses 28 (trans. Celoria) (Greek mythographer 2nd century AD)</ref> 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 manram withor thea headman ofwith a ram,'s or as a ramhead.