Editing Hatmehit (section)

== Iconography ==
In [[Ancient Egyptian art]], Hatmehit was traditionally depicted either as a fish or a woman with a fish emblem or crown on her head. The fish can be directly above her head or presented on a standard, as in the nome symbol of [[Nome (Egypt)|Nome 16]] of [[Lower Egypt]]. Due to that, it is difficult to distinguish images that depict Hatmehit from that of a female personification of the Mendesian nome.

The identification of the fish that is her symbol has been debated, with various researchers identifying it as a [[dolphin]], a [[lepidotus|lepidotes]], or a [[schilbe]].<ref>{{harvnb|Gamer-Wallert|1970|pages=98–101}}<br>{{harvnb|Meeks|1973}}<br>{{harvnb|Zive-Coche|2009}}</ref> However, the iconography of the creature was consistent, with a relatively small head, prominent dorsal spine, and a long anal fin which extends most of the way down its tail. More recent interpretations of the Mendes fish by the current excavation headed by Donald and Susan Redford describe it as [[African butter catfish|''Schilbe mystus'']].<ref>{{harvnb|Redford|2010|page=86}}</ref>

In later periods Hatmehit takes on the iconography of Isis and Hathor, with her fish standard or crown replaced by the horns and sun disk that both shared.<ref>{{harvnb|Chassinat|1910|page=12, pl. XII}}</ref>