Hapy

Hapy is the ancient Egyptian deity who personified the Nile’s annual flood. The inundation was central to Egypt’s agriculture and economy, delivering water and fertile silt that supported crops along the Nile valley. As the god of the flood, Hapy symbolized fertility, abundance, and renewal, and his favor was believed to ensure a generous inundation each year.

Iconography and role: Representations of Hapy vary, but he is typically depicted as a robust, well-nourished figure. In some scenes he appears as a paired form to symbolize the inundation spanning the river, while in others he is shown pouring water or embodying the river’s life-giving force. He was honored in temple rituals and offerings tied to the Nile cycle, reflecting the practical and religious importance of the flood for Egyptian society.

Texts and influence: References to Hapy appear in a range of Egyptian religious texts from the Old Kingdom onward, illustrating the flood’s central place in cosmology, daily life, and agricultural planning.

Confusion with other deities: The name Hapy is also associated with a separate figure linked to the canopic jars—Hapy, often depicted with a baboon head—who safeguarded the lungs. This is a different deity from the Nile flood god, though the similarity in name can cause confusion.

See also: Nile river deities; Egyptian religion; Canopic jars.