The goddess Hathor in Sinai

Abstract

Ancient Egyptians sent mineral missions to Serabit El-Khadim (that lies in the North of Al-Maghara Valley in Sinai), where lies the richest semi precious stone Turquoise mines. Egyptians used to call this area, since the oldest ages and till the beginning of the New Kingdom, “Mefakat” i.e. , that means the land of the Turquoise . In fact, they called it so because they were excavating from it the stone that was used in the making of the ornaments and amulets that had religious significance(1). This mineral activity resulted in establishing a temple for worshiping goddess “Hathor”, that the Egyptians considered the protective goddess for Serabit El-Khadim - the area in which Turquoise is concentrated. They also used to call her Nabt Mefakat” i.e., the lady of the Turquoise, and she was figured, most of the times, in the shape of a woman, and in other times, it took the shape of a cow(2).