HORUS.” The Mesentiu were reportedly skilled in metal-
lurgy and battle.
mesenty This was an ancient Egyptian term that meant
“the Lord of All Creation.” Most cults assumed that title
for their particular deities as part of the cosmogonic tra-
ditions fostered in the various cults, including AMUNand
RÉ. From the earliest historical periods, however, PTAH
was the true mesenty.
meska This was a sacred symbol, fashioned out of the
hide of a BULL and used as part of the costume of
NOMARCHSand some PHARAOHS. The term “Bull of his
Mother” was sometimes attached to the royal titles in cer-
emonies. The meskawas a symbol of power and rebirth,
as bulls were popular THEOPHANIESof the gods.
Meskhent(Meshkhent, Meskhenit) She was an
Egyptian goddess of childbirth, depicted as a birthing
brick with a woman’s head or as a woman with a brick on
her head. Egyptian women sat on bricks designed to pro-
mote labor during childbirth. Meskhent assumed four
forms and predicted the future of newborns. Meskhent is
mentioned in the WESTCAR PAPYRUS, and she reportedly
predicted the role of the first three pharaohs of the Fifth
Dynasty (2465–2323 B.C.E.). She was associated with
HATHORin some eras.
In MORTUARY RITUALS, Meskhent was an attendant in
the JUDGMENT HALLS OF OSIRIS, where she aided the
deceased. She provided the magical powers so that the
dead could be reborn in paradise. She was the divine sis-
ter of Anit and Tanenit. Her husband was SHAI, who rep-
resented destiny, fate, or luck.
Meshwesh They were a people dominating the region
of modern LIBYAin many historical periods. Uniting with
other Libyan groups and at times joined to the confeder-
ation known as the SEA PEOPLES, the Meshwesh at-
tempted many assaults on the western Delta. MERENPTAH
(r. 1224–1214 B.C.E.) and RAMESSES III(r. 1194–1163
B.C.E.), among others, had to defeat such invasion
forces.
With the fall of the New Kingdom in 1070 B.C.E., the
Libyans began to enter the Nile Valley and the Meshwesh
settled at BUBASTIS. Reportedly, HERIHORof the Twenty-
first Dynasty (1070–945 B.C.E.) belonged to a collateral
family of the Meshwesh. The most famous of these
Libyans was SHOSHENQ I(r. 945–924 B.C.E.), the founder
of the Twenty-second Dynasty. The Libyans reinvigorated
Egypt with their presence and served as military leaders
of note and as administrators.
Messuy(fl. 13th century B.C.E.)Governor of Kush in the
Nineteenth Dynasty
He served RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.) as VICEROYof
Kush, the governor of the territories south of ASWANin
NUBIA(modern Sudan). In this role he was addressed as
the “King’s Son of Kush.” Messuy constructed a temple at
KALABASHAH, in a region called BEIT EL-WALI. A rock-cut
shrine, the temple erected by Messuy was designed with
columns and elaborate reliefs of the pharaoh. A causeway
connected the temple to the Nile.Mesthi-Imsety See CANOPIC JARS; IMSETY.mesu-heru They were the guardians of the CANOPIC
JARS, “the Four Sons of Horus.” The jars contained the
vital organs of the deceased, removed during the rituals of
embalming.mesut This was the ancient word for evening, actually
meaning “the Time of Birth.” The cosmological traditions
of Egypt promoted the idea that the stars were actually
swallowed by a divine sow at each sunrise. At eventide the
stars were given birth by the sow and appeared in the sky.metals See EGYPTIAN NATURAL RESOURCES.Methen (Metjen)(fl. 27th century B.C.E.)Governor
and biographer of the Third Dynasty, serving several
pharaohs
He served DJOSER(r. 2630–2611 B.C.E.) as a regional gov-
ernor but was famous as well as a biographer. Methen
started his career in the reign of SNEFRU(r. 2575–2551
B.C.E.) and rose in the ranks. He administered the Delta
NOMESand the FAIYUM’s eastern zone. Methen was buried
in a brick MASTABAin SAQQARA, the royal necropolis, a
sign of his rank. The tomb had a cruciform chapel and
contained a small granite statue of Methen. His father
was Anibesemonek.Migdol (1) This was a site in the SINAI, near TCHARU,
where the Egyptians maintained a fortified tower with
massive walls. When the Persian ruler CAMBYSES (r.
525–522 B.C.E.) attacked Egypt, he destroyed the site,
which was later rebuilt. Tell el-Her, to the south, was also
destroyed and rebuilt.migdol (2) This was a type of fortress, Syrian in design,
heavily fortified. MEDINET HABU, the vast complex erected
by RAMESSES III(r. 1194–1163 B.C.E.) was a migdol-style
structure.“Mighty Bull Appearing in Thebes” An epithet
used by TUTHMOSIS III(r. 1479–1425 B.C.E.) and other
strong New Kingdom pharaohs, the title was usually pre-
ceded by the phrase “Life to HORUS.” The two epithets“Mighty Bull Appearing in Thebes” 243