Thursday, February 27, 2020
Hathor (Bat) Cow Heads from Narmer Palette
8:55am

Narmer palette Hathor (Bat) Cow heads, drawn freehand
(From _In the Shadow of the Pyramids_ by J. Malek and W. Forman, University of Oklahoma Press 1986, pages 14 and 15)

Narmer's name is depicted by "two hieroglyphs representing the cat-fish (nar) and a chisel (mer)" (page 15)

It amuses me that the ears look a bit like leaves, was the artist subtly referring to Hathor's title as "Lady of the Sycamore"?

Left Side Narmer palette Hathor (Bat) Cow head, traced
(From a photo by Heidi Kontkanon)
1st dynasty, from Hierakonpolis Main Deposit (temple at Nekhen), Cairo museum JE32169 - CG14716