Hekaib(fl. 22nd century B.C.E.)Official of the Sixth
Dynasty and a commander of Egyptian military forces
He served PEPI II (r. 2246–2152 B.C.E.) as a military
adviser and as a commander of troops. He also led expe-
ditions to the Red Sea, where Egypt maintained shipyards
that constructed seagoing vessels. Hekaib was murdered
while on an expedition to the port of KUSERon the Red
Sea. His body was recovered by his son and returned to
ELEPHANTINEIsland in ASWAN. Hekaib was declared a god
by the priests of the temples of Aswan after his death, and
a series of small brick shrines were erected with a sanctu-
ary in his honor. A statue recovered depicts Hekaib in the
robes of a court official. He was also called “He Who Is
Master of His Heart,” a reference to his dignified, stately
decorum and his public service.
heker This was the hieroglyph for “decoration” that
was used as a vivid border design in the tomb of TUTHMO-
SIS III(r. 1479–1425 B.C.E.) in the VALLEY OF THE KINGSof
THEBES. A ceiling of stars completed the adornments in
the tomb, along with figures of the AM DUAT,a version of
the BOOK OF THE DEAD.
Heket A frog goddess of Egypt, the symbol of new life,
this deity is mentioned in the PYRAMID TEXTSas assisting
the dead pharaohs in their ascent to the heavens.
PETOSIRIS’s tomb in the TUNA EL-GEBEL(c. 300 B.C.E.) con-
tains a text in her honor. The cultic center of Heket was
at QUS. In the Middle Kingdom (2040–1640 B.C.E.) she
was a protector of households and pregnant women, fash-
ioning children in the womb. In some eras she was asso-
ciated with the god KHNUMand with OSIRIS. SETI I(r.
1306–1290 B.C.E.) was depicted making offerings to
Heket in his ABYDOStemple. The frog aspects of the Heket
cult relate to the fact that these amphibians appeared
each year as the Nile floods began. As such, frogs her-
alded the rebirth and regeneration of Egypt when the
nation received the Nile waters. She was the consort of
another frog deity, Hek, or Hakut.
Heliopolis (On, Iunu, Iunet Mehet) This city was
called On in ancient times and now serves as a suburb of
modern Cairo, the cult center of RÉ-Atum. PITHOM(2),
the Estate of ATUM, was erected on the site, and Heliopo-
lis was a religious and political power center. The original
name was Iunu, “the Pillar,” or Iunet Mehet, “the North-
ern Pillar.”
The temple dominating Heliopolis was called “Atum
the Complete One” and was a lavish complex. The priests
serving the cult of Ré-Atum were learned and politically
active. They also conducted shrines for the BENNU, Ré-
Horakhte, and the MNEVISbull. The ENNEAD, the pan-
theon of the nine deities of creation, evolved out of the
cosmological traditions of Heliopolis and was revered
throughout Egypt. Heliopolis, in its association with
Atum, was also known as the PRIMEVAL MOUND. The cos-
mogonic teachings of the city remained influential for
many centuries, and the rulers began to assume their
royal titles from Ré and his divine powers early in Egypt’s
history.A pylon from the temple of Isis at Philae
WOSRET I(r. 1971–1926 B.C.E.) at Heliopolis, now marks
the site of the once famed center of religion and learning.
A STELAdiscovered at Heliopolis commemorated offer-
ings also made by TUTHMOSIS III(r. 1479–1425 B.C.E.). He
provided gifts for the temple of Ré and renovated the city
complex with red quartzite from GEBEL EL-AHMAR.
Another stela gave an account of RAMESSES II (r.
1290–1224 B.C.E.) of the Nineteenth Dynasty, who also
honored the city. Temple inscriptions dating to the
Twelfth Dynasty (1991–1783 B.C.E.), or a copy from one
of that era, were also discovered inscribed on leather
there.
A secondary temple was built at Heliopolis by AMEN-
HOTEP III(r. 1391–1353 B.C.E.), and black granite column
fragments remain on the site. SETHNAKHTE(r. 1196–1194
B.C.E.) and MERENPTAH(r. 1224–1214 B.C.E.) added to
this shrine. The inscriptions on these fragments are in the
form of a poem and praise Senwosret I for the restoration
of a temple there. A predynastic (before 3,000 B.C.E.)
necropolis was found on the site. An unknown goddess,
Iusáasit, was once worshiped there.Helwan See HALWAN.Hemaka(fl. 28th century B.C.E.) Chancellor and vizier
of the First Dynasty
He served DEN(r. 2850 B.C.E.) in a variety of court roles
and then as CHANCELLORof Lower Egypt. Hemaka was
the first to conduct affairs as a VIZIER, as Den instituted
that office. His tomb in SAQQARAcontained rich funerary
offerings and a stela bearing the name of Den, as well as a
description of the mummification process. Den is
depicted as a seated mummified form in Hemaka’s tomb.
Hemaka’s name was also found on jar sealings and labels
at ABYDOSand Saqqara. The tomb contained 42 storage
chambers, an ivory label of DJER (r. c. 2900 B.C.E.),
alabaster and pottery vases, flints, adzes, and arrows. A
famous Hennu Boat of SOKARwas made for Hemaka.Hemamiyeh This was a predynastic (before 3,000
B.C.E.) settlement in the central part of the Nile Valley
that testifies to community life in Egypt’s earliest historic
times. There are remains of circular residential structures
at Hemamiyeh, which date to the Badarian cultural
sequence (4500–4000 B.C.E.).
See also EGYPT.hemet This was the ancient Egyptian word for wife,
used in all social groups, royal, aristocratic, or commoner.164 Hekaib