Editing Meret

{{About|the Egyptian goddess|the football player|Alex Meret}}
{{short description|Ancient Egyptian deity}}{{Infobox deity
| type = Egyptian
| name = Meret
| image = Meret goddess.svg
| caption = Meret wearing a bundle of  [[Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea|lotus]] flowers standing on the [[Gold (hieroglyph)|hieroglyph for gold]] 
| spouse = [[Hapi (Nile god)|Hapi]]
| symbol = [[Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea|Blue lotus]] <br>
[[Cyperus papyrus|Papyrus reed]]
}}

In [[Egyptian mythology]], '''Meret''' (also spelled '''Mert''') was a goddess who was strongly associated with rejoicing, such as [[song|singing]] and [[dance|dancing]].

==In myth==
{{Ancient Egyptian religion}}
Meret was a [[token wife]] occasionally given to [[Hapi (Nile god)|Hapi]], the god of the [[Nile]] flood. Her name being a reference to this, meaning simply ''the beloved''. As token wife, she was usually depicted with the same associations as Hapi, having on her head either the [[Blue Egyptian lotus|blue lotus]] for [[Upper Egypt]], or the [[Cyperus papyrus|papyrus]] plant for [[Lower Egypt]]. Since Hapi was the source of bountifulness, Meret was usually depicted with an offering bowl, as she was seen, being his wife, as the symbolic recipient of his generosity.

Among the lower classes, where nationalism was less important than successful harvest, she was more strongly considered the wife of Hapi than the protectresses of Lower and Upper Egypt, which were more normally his wife in the upper classes. As a deity whose role was to be the symbolic receiver of bounty from the inundation of the Nile, she was strongly associated with rejoicing, such as [[song|singing]] and [[dance|dancing]].<ref>Lurker, Manfred. ''Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons'', p. 231. Routledge, 1987. {{ISBN|0-7102-0877-4}}.</ref> Later stories tell that Meret was the goddess of the eighth hour, in the ''[[Book of Gates]].''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ancient Egyptian religion footer}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Arts goddesses]]
[[Category:Egyptian goddesses]]
[[Category:Music and singing goddesses]]

[[ca:Llista de personatges de la mitologia egípcia#M]]