THE PYRAMIDS of the COLD • Chapter 66 How the Egyptians glorified every aspect of the candle through the creation of Hathor, whether that candle was made from cow fat or from the wax of the ished Tree of Life

In summary: this is not the first time I have attempted, in this study, to unravel the true nature of Hathor, the goddess associated with both the eye and the cow, but I believe I have finally succeeded. Egyptologists generally agree that she appears to be an archetype combining multiple identities rather than a single, distinct entity, and in this, they seem entirely correct. Hathor is difficult to grasp because her characteristics and roles seem infinite and, above all, seemingly unrelated to one another.

Yet this is not the case, and everything about Hathor makes sense if one proceeds from the premise that the ancient Egyptians created this goddess to glorify the candle in all its possible uses and ways of production. With this new chapter of the "Pyramids of the Cold," I offer you far more than just a revelation of the true meaning behind the Egyptian goddesses Hathor; I present a perfect illustration of what Egyptology should have been from its inception, a constantly evolving discipline where yesterday's assertions can, at any moment, be amended, corrected, or even completely invalidated.

For perhaps two or three years, I had identified Hathor as the exclusive personification of the equipment used to pull the two ropes inside the central wooden Djed caisson within the Great Pyramid of Khufu's Grand Gallery, connecting to the impactor to initiate a new hauling cycle. However, I must admit that at the time, I was far too focused on the mechanics of the Great Pyramid itself; the fact that Hathor was known as the "Mistress of the Counterweight" had completely misled me. In reality, there was already ample evidence to refute that claim, most notably that Hathor appears to have been present in Egyptian religion long before the Fourth Dynasty. The simple truth is that the work I had done on this goddess was inadequate.

Today, we will explore the true significance of Hathor. But my primary point is this: the ceaseless process, the cycle of formulating hypotheses, testing them, and potentially invalidating them (either partially or entirely, should have been the standard operating procedure for Egyptology ever since its inception in the early 19th century. Yet, as it is currently conducted, the field of Egyptology falls far short of upholding such scientific rigor in deciphering the culture of the ancient Egyptians. Egyptologists have certainly followed this approach in their archaeological work and excavations, yet they have simply chosen not to do the same for their actual Egyptological scholarship.

Double star Albireo. Henryk Kowalewski: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bemidbar_(parashah)#/media/File:Albireo_a.jpg

Hathor is the glorification of the candle, and so, it is not surprising to see this ceiling covered with depictions of cows and ropes; the rope is actually the candle wick. What she bears between her horns is therefore nothing other than the flame of the candle itself. [Ceiling painting from the palace of Amenhotep III], Egypt, Thebes, Malqata; ca. 1390–1353 B.C. New Kingdom; Dynasty 18. Metropolitan Museum: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544502

Egyptologists are, first and foremost, archaeologists; they want to make, and dream of making, that major archaeological discovery. If the price of participating in this quest, perhaps the greatest quest in human history, is to tacitly agree never to offer a different perspective or challenge the official narrative propagated for over two hundred years, then that price is accepted.

No matter how long it takes for the "Pyramids of the Cold" to come to the fore and begin to be discussed, accepted, corrected, and expanded upon by others, it will happen sooner or later. With the advent of artificial intelligence and the incredible speed at which it is becoming increasingly capable, I do not see how traditional Egyptology can survive for much longer. Perhaps in a mere ten or twenty years, no one will look back at that old vision and those quaint little stories from the nineteenth century. In the meantime, here is the true significance of the magnificent goddess Hathor, who was, for a very long period, the greatest of all the deities of ancient Egyptian civilization, and show her our full appreciation.

[above illustration, edited image] Cow Appreciation Day, featuring Megan and her steer. Photograph taken in July 16, 2026. Molly's Custom Silver: https://www.facebook.com/mollyscustomsilver/photos/cow-appreciation-day-featuring-megan-and-her-steerthank-you-for-participating-in/1446378237521948/

66.01  Key known elements regarding Hathor that allow us to assert that the goddess is merely the glorification and deification of the candle, provider of light

As always, when I finally conclude that the deciphering of a particular Egyptian deity is complete, I experience the same feeling: how could I have gone so long without seeing what was, in reality, seemingly so easy, so obvious? Yet this is undoubtedly inherent to the deciphering process itself. Most of what we will examine regarding Hathor falls into two broad categories: first, there is the striking banality of the fact that, at first glance, we seem to be dealing with nothing more than a simple candle; however, there is a second category in which we discover that the method of making and using this candle is actually completely unexpected and surprising, even revolutionary and totally mind-blowing.

In the passages below, I have endeavored to select the most illuminating excerpts regarding the true, hidden nature of the goddess Hathor. Naturally, the most significant ones center on the powerful bond between the sun god Ra and Hathor. Perhaps the most important passage is the one describing Hathor as the earthly counterpart of this sun god. If the sun is the source of the light and heat reaching us from the "heavens," then the light and heat reaching us from the earth itself can, in fact, only be the candle flame. We will subsequently look at other excerpts that shed light on how the ancient Egyptians actually made their candles, and how, even back then, they had developed the Fresnel lens, which allowed these candles to be used with extreme efficiency in lighthouses.

“Hathor was a solar deity, a feminine counterpart to sun gods such as Horus and Ra, and was a member of the divine entourage that accompanied Ra as he sailed through the sky in his barque. She was commonly called the "Golden One", referring to the radiance of the sun, and texts from her temple at Dendera say "her rays illuminate the whole earth."” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

“She was one of many goddesses to take the role of the Eye of Ra, a feminine personification of the disk of the sun and an extension of Ra's own power. Ra was sometimes portrayed inside the disk, which Troy interprets as meaning that the eye goddess was thought of as a womb, from which the sun god was born.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

[Head of a cow goddess, probably Hathor] “The head depicts a goddess with a cow’s face and this zoomorphism and the sun disk between her horns convey divinity. The subject matter and the animal’s benevolent expression, along with the skillfully carved dark stone, suggest the statue dates to the reign of Amenhotep III. Hathor, a powerful deity with wide ranging responsibilities among the gods, is the statue’s most likely subject and her affiliation with cows is an old one. However, Amenhotep III made statues honoring a number of lesser-known zoomorphic deities, so Mehet-weret, whose name means "Great Flood," could also be the subject. Unfortunately, the piece lacks an inscription and therefore a firm identity." Object 19.2.5 currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New-York: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544481

66.02  If Hathor was known as the Mistress of the stars, it is because stars emit light and resemble candles of the night

The phrase "candles of the night" is a poetic metaphor used by William Shakespeare himself in “The Merchant of Venice” (Act 5, Scene 1) to refer to the stars shining in the night sky.

“She [Hathor] was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was considered to be the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow (linking her with Nut, Bat and Mehet-Weret). As time passed Hathor absorbed the attributes of many other goddesses but also became more closely associated with Isis, who to some degree usurped her position as the most popular and powerful goddess.” https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/hathor/

“Hathor was a sky goddess, known as “Lady of Stars” and “Sovereign of Stars”.” https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/hathor/

“Hathor was given the epithets "mistress of the sky" and "mistress of the stars", and was said to dwell in the sky with Ra and other sun deities. Egyptians thought of the sky as a body of water through which the sun god sailed, and they connected it with the waters from which, according to their creation myths, the sun emerged at the beginning of time. This cosmic mother goddess was often represented as a cow. Hathor and Mehet-Weret were both thought of as the cow who birthed the sun god and placed him between her horns. Like Nut, Hathor was said to give birth to the sun god each dawn.”  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

[The Milky Way] as seen from a dark site with little light pollution. Photograph by Steve Jurvetson: https://www.flickr.com/photos/44124348109@N01/898622334

The Seven Hathors glorify not only the movement of the planets and the moon around our planet, what might be termed celestial navigation, but also the interpretation that can be drawn from it, which forms the very basis of astrology. [The Seven Hathors and the Bull of the West, in the Book of the Dead for Chonsu-mes] 21st Dynasty, ca. 1000 BCE. Kunsthistorisches Museum,  Vienna: https://www.khm.at/en/artworks/book-of-the-dead-for-chonsu-mes-319162

66.03  The seven Hathors refer to the seven shinning planets surrounding us, and the bull that accompanies them to the Moon

As the goddess of the candle, provider of light, Hathor was thus the goddess of the night sky and the goddess of the shinning stars, for she was in reality especially the embodied deification of the candle flame and its flickering light, much like the flickering light of the stars.

Yet the night sky also holds planets; in order from the Sun, these are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, and it is well known that Hathor was associated with the movement of planets. If we set Earth aside, we are left with seven planets that orbit us, shining in the night and casting their light upon us. These seven planets are the seven Hathors.

Naturally, alongside these seven planets, there is also the Moon, far larger and providing us with much more light. The Moon represents the famous bull that accompanies the seven Hathor cows.

“She [Hathor] was also associated with the sky, the movement of planets, Venus, birth, and rebirth after death, as well as the cyclical rejuvenation of the entire cosmos.” https://study.com/academy/lesson/egyptian-goddess-hathor-story-facts-symbols.html

“Like Meskhenet, another goddess who presided over birth, Hathor was connected with shai, the Egyptian concept of fate, particularly when she took the form of the Seven Hathors. In two New Kingdom works of fiction, the "Tale of Two Brothers" and the "Tale of the Doomed Prince", the Hathors appear at the births of major characters and foretell the manner of their deaths.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

[The Dendera zodiac from the Temple of Hathor], as displayed at the Louvre Museum, Paris. Photo Shonagon

The Seven Hathors, the Bull, and the Four Rudders. “The 7 Hathors and the Bull of the West with the oars of Heaven, depicted as celestial cows at the Mortuary Temple of Ramses 3rd at Medinet Habu.” Image from Out of the Tombs: https://www.reddit.com/r/OutoftheTombs/comments/18l9m8d/the_7_hathors_and_the_bull_of_the_west_with_the/

66.04  The four rudders are about the fact that these celestial bodies are in motion: they sail across the sky

The idea that these celestial bodies are indeed in motion, even though they are obviously depicted as stationary, is confirmed by the presence of the four rudders associated with them, seen in both the depiction of the Seven Hathors above and the previous one. Does the fact that there are four rudders hold a real and specific significance? Obviously, but exactly what that is remains a major question. Is it related to the four astrological elements (Fire, Earth, Air, and Water), or perhaps to the four dimensions (three spatial dimensions plus time)? Honestly, I have no idea. The only sure thing is that Egyptian boats were also depicted with these four rudders.

You will also notice that the seven cows and the bull are depicted with a tray of food in front of them, but why is that? Because planets and the moon move across the sky, and the best way to get an animal to move is to offer it food.

“Hathor was given the epithets "mistress of the sky" and "mistress of the stars", and was said to dwell in the sky with Ra and other sun deities. Egyptians thought of the sky as a body of water through which the sun god sailed, and they connected it with the waters from which, according to their creation myths, the sun emerged at the beginning of time. This cosmic mother goddess was often represented as a cow.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

66.05  About the full moon, and the fact that the planets and the moon are all moving together across the sky

So, what did the Egyptians actually intend to do here? Well, they utilized the fact that cow horns resemble tall candles to represent the distant planets of the solar system, planets whose brightness is very faint, almost comparable to that of a star. However, they obviously could not do the same for the moon, as its brightness is vastly greater than that of a star. Instead, they represented the moon as a bull, carefully ensuring that the animal's horns perfectly mirrored the shape of the full moon.

66.06  Because the Seven Hathors refer to the seven planets surrounding us, and the bull that accompanies them to the Moon, Shai, the Egyptian concept of fate and destiny, actually falls within the realm of astrology, and that is why Hathor was present at the birth of every child: destiny was, in reality, already written, by astrology

The story describing the Seven Hathors is another beautiful tale centered on the goddess Hathor. To the ancient Egyptians, these goddesses, who appeared at the birth of newborns destined for a brilliant future, represented the glorification of the seven planets surrounding us. The metaphor here relates to astrology, a practice that uses planetary positions to foretell the future; today, we call this a horoscope.

“Like Meskhenet, another goddess who presided over birth, Hathor was connected with shai, the Egyptian concept of fate, particularly when she took the form of the Seven Hathors. In two New Kingdom works of fiction, the "Tale of Two Brothers" and the "Tale of the Doomed Prince", the Hathors appear at the births of major characters and foretell the manner of their deaths.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

How To Stop Candle Tunneling / Burning Down The Middle of The Jar - How Did I Not Know This!? The How-To Handbook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jsx5KTWtc3Y

66.07  Your candle has a memory: its very first use determines the rest of its life, and the moment of its death

This is another perfect example of the complexity and sophistication of the riddles, metaphors, and allegories so skillfully crafted by the ancient Egyptians. We have just seen that the famous Seven Hathors were, in reality, the seven planets of our solar system, and that the bull consistently accompanying them was a glorification of the moon itself, the celestial bodies upon which all astrology and the art of divination are founded. However, the notion that the Seven Hathors were associated not only with a person's future but also with their death has nothing to do with astrology. The Seven Hathors resemble tiny candles sailing across the sky; yet, their association with an individual's death simply mirrors the life of a candle itself, which is entirely shaped by its first use. The ancient Egyptians were didactic; the purpose of this part of the mythology is to convey the idea that if you do not use your candle correctly the first time, you are, in a sense, dooming it. The issue is "tunneling", what happens if, during that very first use, you do not leave the candle lit long enough for the pool of wax melted by the flame to reach the candle's edge. A ring forms around the wick, and you will never be able to utilize that portion of the candle. Thus, the first use determines its entire future life. That is the meaning of the myth.

“Like Meskhenet, another goddess who presided over birth, Hathor was connected with shai, the Egyptian concept of fate, particularly when she took the form of the Seven Hathors. In two New Kingdom works of fiction, the "Tale of Two Brothers" and the "Tale of the Doomed Prince", the Hathors appear at the births of major characters and foretell the manner of their deaths.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

“Most people are unknowingly throwing away a third of every candle they buy — and it starts the very first time they light it. Wax has a thermal memory, meaning the melt pool you create on that initial burn sets the pattern for every burn after. If the liquid wax doesn't reach the edges of the jar, your candle will tunnel straight down the center while perfectly good wax clings permanently to the walls. These aren't careless mistakes — they're information gaps, and this video closes them for good.” 7 Candle Mistakes That Waste Wax and Cost You Money. Slow Living Studio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3ySM8wehW4

66.08  Hathor's "beautiful hair" echoes the tail of a comet

Yet another magnificent metaphor, and once again, this one concerning a celestial body. We've already mentioned the stars, the seven planets of the solar system that surrounds us, and the moon, so only one thing remained to be discovered: how did the ancient Egyptians glorify comets in their own way, using Hathor, the goddess representing the very embodiment of light, as their "support"? Well, this metaphor is that of hair. If Hathor was known for having beautiful hair, it's because she had very long hair, and this hair is none other than the tail of a comet.

Historically referred to by ancient astronomers as "long-haired stars," comets typically possess two separate structures: a dust tail and an ion (gas) tail. Because these two tails are made of entirely different materials and react to different cosmic forces, it is quite common for one to vanish, snap off, or fail to form altogether while the other remains intact. And this peculiarity of a comet's very structure is at the origin of the myth in which Hathor is said to have lost one of her strands of hair.

“Hathor was praised for her beautiful hair. Egyptian literature contains allusions to a myth not clearly described in any surviving texts, in which Hathor lost a lock of hair that represented her sexual allure.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

“The word comet derives from the Old English cometa from the Latin comēta or comētēs. That, in turn, is a romanization of the Greek κομήτης 'wearing long hair', and the Oxford English Dictionary notes that the term (ἀστὴρ) κομήτης already meant 'long-haired star, comet' in Greek. Κομήτης was derived from κομᾶν (koman) 'to wear the hair long', which was itself derived from κόμη (komē) 'the hair of the head' and was used to mean 'the tail of a comet'.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet

Ptolemaic plaque found at Dendera, showing a woman giving birth with the assistance of two cow-headed Hathors. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 40627: https://egypt-museum.com/plaque-of-a-woman-giving-birth/

66.09  Regarding the "Candle Blow" calming breathing technique used by women during childbirth

At first, I thought the two depictions of the goddess Hathor on the famous plaque showing a woman about to give birth referred to candlelight, specifically, the idea of ​​representing the very first light perceived by the newborn.

However, I eventually realized that this couldn't be the answer, simply because a newborn does not enter the world with its eyes open. Hathor represents the glorification of the candle, and the solution is, quite literally, the candle, or rather, the breathing technique known as "Candle Blow Breathing."

Why are there two representations of the goddess? Because the principle of the method is binary. You must inhale deeply and calmly, then exhale gently and in a controlled manner, as if trying to make a candle flame flicker without extinguishing it. Inhale, exhale, and start again.

As I have written many times before, the goal behind the ancient Egyptians' undertaking of such a massive and extraordinary task, transcribing their knowledge and expertise across every field, was not merely self-glorification; they also sought to demonstrate and explain. Their practice of encoding information within their religion served a didactic purpose, and the plaque discovered at Dendera perfectly illustrates this educational aspect of the true nature of ancient Egyptian religion. Breathe in, breathe out, and start all over again.

“Candle Blow Breathing technique has been known to help with labor pain relief! This simple yet effective method helps manage contractions, reduce stress, and keep you focused during childbirth. Inhale deeply and exhale like you're gently blowing out a candle, finding calm and control with each breath. Breathe and find your way through a beautiful labor experience!” Dr Shagufta Parveen: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8ylN2Np1-U/

The ancient Egyptians did not use ordinary beef fat for lighting; instead, they used tallow that had been thoroughly cleaned and filtered, a process that gave it a beautiful white color and rendered it completely odorless. How to Render and Purify Tallow. Video by Bumblebee Apothecary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4UiZe4mjmg

66.10  Hathor, who truly was the goddess of light, was depicted as a cow because that light was primarily produced in ancient Egypt from the animal's fat. Hesat is nothing more than the glorification of that fat, because rendered beef fat, tallow, looks like solid milk

Now that we know the great goddess Hathor was essentially the ancient Egyptians' glorification of light, one might wonder why on earth she was so often depicted entirely as a cow, specifically in the form of Hesat, a cow hailed as the "creator of all nourishment" and constantly associated with the milk a cow produces. In reality, the answer is quite simple: we know that most lighting needs in ancient Egypt were met using beef fat, and Hesat is precisely the embodiment and deification of that fat. It was not milk that the cow provided, but fat. That is why Hathor, the light resulting from the combustion of that cow fat, was herself often depicted in the form of a cow.

This is also why Hesat was said to be the “earthly manifestation” of Hathor; since Hathor represents the glorification of the light emitted by an oil lamp's flame, the "earthly" component of that flame, the part burning in the air, is, of course, the beef fat itself.

“Hesat (Heset, Hesahet, or Hesaret) was a cow goddess of Ancient Egypt who was considered to be the earthly manifestation of Hathor. She was called “the creator of all nourishment” and her name has the same root the word for milk, (“hesa”) which was known as the “beer of Heset”. She was pictured as a divine white cow, either with a sun disc between her horns or carrying a tray of food on her horns and milk flowing from her udders. Hesat was seen as the wet-nurse of the other gods, minor patron of pregnant women and nursing mothers.” Jenny Hill, from Ancient Egypt Online: https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/hesat/

“The version from Hathor's temple at Dendera emphasizes that she, as a female solar deity, was the first being to emerge from the primordial waters that preceded creation, and her life-giving light and milk nourished all living things.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

“Why is my cooking oil foaming like this?” Video by anike_agrofoods: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTnAh2cDFJD/

66.11  Ancient Egyptians didn't just used beef fat, but carefully cleaned, filtered, and rendered tallow

When Hesat was depicted as a white cow, and referred to by the Egyptians as "the Great White Cow", it was because of the white color assumed by the tallow rendered from beef fat. The Egyptians did not use ordinary beef fat for lighting; instead, they used tallow that had been thoroughly cleaned and filtered, a process that gave it a beautiful white color and rendered it completely odorless. Hathor’s reputation as the goddess of beauty, associated with incense likely stems from the fact that the Egyptians could produce scented soaps from this purified tallow.

66.12  The Beer of Hesat: Hesat is nothing more than the glorification of cow fat, and sometimes that fat creates foam, as if it were beer

Now that we know the great goddess Hathor was essentially the ancient Egyptians' glorification of light, one might wonder why on earth she was so often depicted entirely as a cow, specifically in the form of Hesat, a cow hailed as the "creator of all nourishment" and constantly associated with the milk a cow produces. In reality, the answer is quite simple: we know that most lighting needs in ancient Egypt were met using beef fat, and Hesat is precisely the embodiment and deification of that fat. It was not milk that the cow provided, but fat. That is why Hathor, the light resulting from the combustion of that cow fat, was herself often depicted in the form of a cow.

This is also why Hesat was said to be the “earthly manifestation” of Hathor; since Hathor represents the glorification of the light emitted by an oil lamp's flame, the "earthly" component of that flame, the part burning in the air, is, of course, the beef fat itself.

“Hesat (Heset, Hesahet, or Hesaret) was a cow goddess of Ancient Egypt who was considered to be the earthly manifestation of Hathor. She was called “the creator of all nourishment” and her name has the same root the word for milk, (“hesa”) which was known as the “beer of Heset”. She was pictured as a divine white cow, either with a sun disc between her horns or carrying a tray of food on her horns and milk flowing from her udders. Hesat was seen as the wet-nurse of the other gods, minor patron of pregnant women and nursing mothers.” J. Hill: https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/hesat/

“Why is my cooking oil foaming like this?” Video by anike_agrofoods: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTnAh2cDFJD/

66.13  The similarity of the names Hesat and Seshat: when heated, wax (Hesat) behaves much like ink (Seshat)

I would now like to draw your attention to a specific method employed by the ancient Egyptians to create their remarkable system of transcription and coding, a system designed to glorify all their knowledge through their religion. We have already seen this with Nut and Tefnut, and here is another example involving Hesat and Seshat: the Egyptians created similar, or very closely related, names for deities who themselves possessed similar or closely related characteristics. We previously saw that Nut represented the glorification of water in its vaporous state (water in the sky), whereas Tefnut represented the glorification of water in the form of droplets (water in a "spit-out" state, suspended in the air); this explains why Nut and Tefnut have similar names, even though egyptologists do not typically link them. We see the same process at work here with Hesat (the deification of beef fat) and Seshat (the deification of writing ink, as discussed in Chapter 1); the similarity in their names stems from the fact that, when heated, beef fat behaves much like ink.

[Cow goddess Hesat in the Tomb of Irynefer, TT 290]. Tomb of Irynefer, TT 290. “The tomb of Irynefer, "Servant in the Place of Truth" a necropolis workman of the Ramesside Period. He lived in the village in the 19th dynasty during the early part of Ramesses II's reign.” Photo kairoinfo4u: https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/11433106165/in/photostream/

The ancient Egyptians did not use ordinary beef fat for lighting; instead, they used tallow that had been thoroughly cleaned and filtered, a process that gave it a beautiful white color and rendered it completely odorless. How to Render and Purify Tallow. Video by Bumblebee Apothecary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4UiZe4mjmg

66.14  The ancient Egyptians used exactly the same wet method as the one demonstrated here to transform beef fat into clean, pure white, odorless tallow

As we have seen many times in The Pyramids of the Cold, the ancient Egyptians did not merely create gods, goddesses, and myths to encode their knowledge in a narrative yet cryptic way; they also devised true masterpieces depicting specific recipes or procedures. The example shown here, featuring the famous "recumbent Hesat" depiction, contains everything one needs to know to transform ordinary beef fat into tallow, a valuable commodity suitable for a wide range of household uses, such as making candles or soap, or simply preserving the fat for long periods for use in cooking.

The first thing to understand when setting out to purify beef fat is that a large amount of water is required; the end result is that the fat or the tallow, depending on whether one considers the first or second bath required by the purification method, rise to the surface, as fat is lighter than water and floats. This explains why Hesat is depicted as if she were floating on water. Once the transformation is complete, the resulting pure white tallow bears a striking resemblance to wax, specifically beeswax, especially given that it can indeed be used to make candles. This is why Hesat proudly wears a magnificent robe featuring a honeycomb pattern repeated almost endlessly.

[Cow goddess Hesat in the Tomb of Irynefer, TT 290]. Tomb of Irynefer, TT 290. “The tomb of Irynefer, "Servant in the Place of Truth" a necropolis workman of the Ramesside Period. He lived in the village in the 19th dynasty during the early part of Ramesses II's reign.” Photo kairoinfo4u: https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/11433106165/in/photostream/

66.15  The "recumbent" Hesat represents the process of separating fat from water during tallow preparation. The falcon in front of Hesat simply illustrates the pitcher's spout used in the process

You will notice in the video and in the photograph above, that a pitcher with a hooked spout is used to separate the tallow from the water remaining at the bottom of the container. That is why, right at the rim of the water vessel, yet well above the water itself (since the goal is to collect only the fat, not the water), Hesat appears to be held back by a falcon; the falcon, of course, serves merely to represent that distinctive pouring spout.

Hesat is not actually "blocked" by the falcon, quite the opposite: she pours out entirely through this falcon-shaped spout, without a single drop of the water beneath ever getting through.

In the illustration above, you can also see the difference in color between the fairly distinct yellow of the tallow occupying the entire upper part of the container (the fat floats on top of the water) and the lighter shade of the water at the very bottom of the pitcher.

Representation of Min in a bas-relief from Wadi Hammamat, illustrating the true meaning of the flail: the depiction of sprayed water droplets. Photo kairoinfo4u: https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/25999304796/in/photostream/

66.16  How could the flail really be related to agriculture?

To truly understand the scene depicting Hesat in the tomb of Irynefer, one must first understand the famous "flail." Egyptologists explain that this iconic object of ancient Egypt was merely an agricultural tool used to separate grain from the stalks to which it clings. Yet, this is utter nonsense.

How could one imagine that so many gods and pharaohs would find any appeal in being depicted with such a farming implement? Can you picture these same figures portraying themselves with a shovel or a rake? Do you believe that, after commissioning marvels like temples and great pyramids, the pharaohs would have been overjoyed to know they would spend eternity lying there clutching a pair of shears?

None of it makes sense. And yet, there is meaning to be found in the "flail", though not in the official, standardized depictions of classical Egyptian art; to shed light on its true nature, one must look at how the "street artists" of the era portrayed this famous object.

Parts of a flail discovered in a tomb in Menphis, perfectly depicting the Dendera Light-like shapes. Ironically, the Louvre is describing that shape as "a pearl in form of a drop”. Flagellum (Tutankhamun). Numéro principal : N 2271 C: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010005690

66.17  The flail doesn't refer to an agriculural tool, but to sprayed water droplets

To fully grasp the significance of this depiction of Min at Wadi Hammamat, one must consider its location; notably, this carving is situated neither in a temple nor in a tomb but rather outdoors, directly on the rock face. In a sense, one might liken this carving to modern street art. The creator was not bound by the same strictures that governed "official" artists; liberated from such constraints, the artist simply allowed themselves greater freedom. Instead of rendering the flail in the conventional, official manner, they depicted it as what it truly represents: water being sprayed in droplets, or perhaps any other liquid, as suggested by the god’s erect phallus and the figure facing him, who appears to be waiting to catch the fluid in two small vessels. Please read chapter 48 for more on the flail.

“Min is an ancient Egyptian god whose cult originated in the predynastic period (4th millennium BCE). He was represented in many different forms, but was most often represented in male human form, shown with an erect penis which he holds in his left hand and an upheld right arm holding a flail.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min_(god)

Tomb of Ramses V and Ramses VI, Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt. Photograph by Diego Delso

66.18   The construction of the crypts and underground tombs required excellent lighting conditions, and Hathor therefore played a major role as the personification of light itself

In depictions of Hathor where the goddess appears alongside a mountain, specifically the Western Mountain, a major manifestation of the goddess is being evoked: in this case, as clearly seen in the image above, the flame of a candle. It is precisely Hathor's capacity, as the earthly manifestation of the sun god, to "generate" light that is at issue here. Hathor is indeed the manifestation of the heat and light not merely emitted by the sun, but rather the embodiment of that heat and light as experienced and perceived on earth. Consequently, Hathor was the goddess associated with all forms of illumination, and particularly with candlelight. Look beneath the head of Hathor, and you will see that flame and that candle. Now that we understand Hathor's true nature, as the deification of the flame, we can place these depictions in context: specifically, the challenge of providing light while ancient Egyptians excavated the mountain to build their tombs and, subsequently, decorated them.

'Book of the Dead' of Ani (frame 37): Spell 185 continued. “The text above her is in praise of Hathor, patroness of the west, who is represented as a cow emerging from the western mountain at Thebes into the clumps of papyrus that fringe the Nile Valley.” This is the last frame of the funerary papyrus belonging to the Royal Scribe and Granary Overseer, Ani. Papyrus EA10470,37 at the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA10470-37

'Book of the Dead' of Ani (frame 37): Spell 185 continued. “The text above her is in praise of Hathor, patroness of the west, who is represented as a cow emerging from the western mountain at Thebes into the clumps of papyrus that fringe the Nile Valley.” This is the last frame of the funerary papyrus belonging to the Royal Scribe and Granary Overseer, Ani. Papyrus EA10470,37 at the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA10470-37

66.19  How could the ancient Egyptians have managed without genuine tallow-fueled protective lanterns, both for the heavy construction and rock-drilling phases and for the meticulous task of decorating the tombs carved into the mountain?

There is a very important point I wish to address regarding the lighting needs of the ancient Egyptians when constructing underground tombs or any other structures built in total darkness. Egyptologists explain that the Egyptians made extensive use of beef fat for lighting, employing lamps made of pottery, essentially consisting of a saucer and a wick. They base this conclusion on pottery shards, named ostraka, found at the artisans' village of Deir el-Medina, the Arabic name for an ancient Egyptian settlement where the guild of craftsmen responsible for building the tombs and mortuary temples of the pharaohs and their families during the New Kingdom (18th to 20th Dynasties) resided. Scribes recorded the daily quantity of fat distributed to the workers, and the pace of work was dictated by the lifespan of the wicks. Furthermore, certain administrators held the specific title of "fat supplier" to ensure the continuity of operations. There is, therefore, no doubt that beef fat served as a major fuel source to solve the lighting problem. However, the problem arises when one assumes that this lighting need could be met solely by the solution combining the pottery lamp and beef fat.

[A Folk Art 18th Century Rolled Sheet Iron Pendant Lantern] The cylindrical body and conical pediment are pierced with intricate decorative perforations, with a flower shaped design to the back sheet. When lit by candlelight, the light scatters from the small incisions in dancing patterns across surrounding surfaces. The lantern incorporates a protruding original glass pane - which light floods from, the top of the lantern is hung from a looped strap handle. With their unique design such primitive pieces enable the flame to be protected from draft, but still allow for a beautiful amount of illumination.” https://chrisholmesantiques.co.uk/products/18th-century-iron-pendant-lantern-m

Dive into the heart of the Saint-Pierre railway tunnel construction site, Dieppe: Le Courrier Cauchois, Yvetot, France

66.20  Regarding the light escaping from the underground structures through the entrance tunnel

The image of the Saint-Pierre tunnel in Dieppe that I included above is intended to illustrate the true significance of Hathor’s presence on this hill in the Book of the Dead of Ani. In Egyptology, as in other fields, context is paramount; the context for this part of the papyrus's narrative is the challenge of lighting faced by the builders and decorators of ancient Egyptian tombs, where darkness is absolute. Hathor is the personification of light; here, only the goddess's head is visible because the rest of her body lies within the underground tunnels and chambers. In other words, we see only a tiny fraction of the light within these structures, the portion that manages to escape through the entrance tunnel.

66.21  Lanterns were mandatory for both construction and decoration of the tombs

The notion that the Egyptians used lamps consisting merely of simple, hollow pottery saucers presents a problem given the conditions in which they would have been used. One can easily imagine fragments of rock from the excavated walls frequently falling onto these lamps, necessitating their frequent, or even very frequent, replacement. Would it not be more logical to assume that the lamps were protected from such debris? After all, the ostraca might simply be fragments of vessels used to transport beef fat to the village of Deir el-Medina. However, as we shall see, there is actually another clue suggesting that the ancient Egyptians did indeed use real candles, candles with actual wicks, but ones manufactured in a very specific manner, vastly different from the way modern Western candles are made.

Nevertheless, once the excavation was complete, it was necessary to have high-performance lamps to ensure not only full illumination of the corridors and chambers but also a stable light source, free from flickering and smoke emissions. Not just minimal smoke, but none at all, and the lanterns is a technical solution the Egyptians likely employed for this purpose. It is the perfect device capable of meeting all the demands of such a painting project, providing stable, uniform lighting while preventing soot emissions, as the soot can easily be trapped within the upper section of the lantern.

Cow-goddess Hathor, and the four rudders. Ancient Egyptian Papyrus Collection. Egyptian Museum, Turin. Photograph by Hans Ollermann: https://www.flickr.com/photos/menesje/5259714264/in/album-72157605882121872

66.22  The presence of the four Eyes of Horus and the four rudders may refer to the four glass panes of a lantern

One of the major issues raised by the academic narrative regarding the technological capabilities of ancient Pharaonic Egypt is the question of lighting. A close look at the magnificent photographs of the frescoes found in the pharaohs' underground tombs reveals that, in reality, they faced no lighting problem whatsoever. The fact that these frescoes, on both walls and ceilings, were executed with such beauty implies they were created to be seen, simply to be seen. Therefore, rather than asking how these frescoes were created, we must ask how they could have been viewed. And that is precisely where the lighting issue comes to light. You are free to imagine if it amuses you, that the builders and artists made do with a pitiful little candle or a crude papyrus tube filled with animal fat; however, you will fail to explain how the pharaoh and his entire entourage could regularly come to inspect the work, or at least visit upon its completion, and envision the place where he would rest for eternity.

The sheer beauty of these ancient Egyptian tombs implies they were viewed under lighting conditions likely comparable to what we experience today. Yet, "super" candles, akin in every respect to traditional Japanese Wa-rousoku candles, would likely not suffice for this purpose. Others have recognized the lighting issue associated with these tombs, but the solutions they proposed were, in my view, invalid. I believe that, in reality, the Egyptians used "simple" lanterns, and that these are the lanterns depicted in the images shown here. Those objects are not rudders; I believe that these four "rudders", associated with the flame positioned beneath the head of the cow-goddess Hathor, are actually the four glass panes of a lantern.

Cow goddess Hathor and the Four Rudders. Ancient Egyptian Papyrus Collection. Egyptian Museum, Turin. Photograph by Hans Ollermann: https://www.flickr.com/photos/menesje/5259714264/in/album-72157605882121872

Cow goddess Hathor and the Four Rudders. Ancient Egyptian Papyrus Collection. Egyptian Museum, Turin. Photograph by Hans Ollermann: https://www.flickr.com/photos/menesje/5259714264/in/album-72157605882121872

Several points support my argument. First, the fact that these rudders are depicted as so large in relation to Hathor implies they represent something extremely important, and, quite literally, larger than the flame itself. However, the size of these rudders is entirely comparable to the accompanying Eyes of Horus, strongly suggesting a connection between the rudders and the eye. Next, look closely at this rudder and the perfectly straight section clearly highlighted in bright red, the same bright red used for the sun held by the figure lying on the ground. This is why I believe the scene depicts a lantern: the four perfectly straight red sections are actually the glass panes protecting the flame. Yet these panes cannot stand on their own; they require a metal framework, much like that used in stained-glass work, and this is the role of the serpent extending across the pane. The serpent represents the metal structure enclosing the lantern's glass.

Egyptologists will likely object to this, as they maintain that the Egyptians did not possess clear (uncolored) glass until the first century AD (around the year 100). They explain that while the ancient Egyptians had certainly mastered glassmaking, they lacked an essential compound for producing colorless glass, manganese dioxide, which was reportedly introduced to Egypt by the Romans around 100 AD. What is curious about manganese dioxide is that, although the name sounds a bit intimidating, and it is hard to picture the ancient Egyptians as we know them pronouncing such words (can you imagine Ramses asking someone, "Hey, do you happen to know where I put my manganese dioxide?"), the fact is that manganese dioxide was actually used in France over 50,000 years ago! That changes the picture, doesn't it? Another odd detail is that manganese dioxide comes as a black powder; I wouldn't be surprised if the striking black tip on those "rudders" is directly linked to this miracle substance, the very thing that makes glass as transparent as water, and perhaps the actual reason why this so-called "rudder" was used in the first place.

66.23  Mastery of tinted glass production may perhaps also conceal mastery of clear glass production

If there is one key takeaway from The Pyramids of the Cold, it is that throughout their pharaonic history, the ancient Egyptians consistently encoded and transcribed the entirety of their knowledge, spanning science, medicine, and technology, within their religion. Their gods, goddesses, and myths are merely the embodied, personified manifestations of this process. They sought to reveal and conceal everything simultaneously; and what better way to hide their complete mastery of clear, uncolored glass production than by disguising it as colored glass? Such a strategy would have been perfectly in keeping with their nature, a flawless illustration and demonstration of the transcription method they employed to fabricate the Egyptian religion from scratch, a faith that is, in reality, nothing more than a façade.

While the ancient Egyptians became absolute masters of colored glass production, crafting jewelry of breathtaking beauty, this may well be (or almost certainly is) a mere illusion; in truth, we should perhaps see it as a glorification of glass itself, specifically clear, uncolored glass used to create mirrors, magnifying lenses, and the like.

Mirror with a papyrus-shaped handle displaying a Bat-like face. New Kingdom. ca. 1479–1425 BCE. Object Number 26.8.98: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/548673

The making of traditional Japanese candles, called Warōsoku (和蝋燭). Screenshot from a video of Science Channel (0.35): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aU_l8gZr3I

66.24  The Japanese candle and the tree wax

The fact is, while it is one thing to grasp that Hathor represented the deification of light for the Egyptians and, consequently, the deification of the candlelight, that alone doesn't tell us much. Egyptologists claim that the ancient Egyptians only encountered true candles very late in their history; consequently, they supposedly built all those fabulous temples and extraordinary underground royal tombs using nothing but meager little bamboo slivers filled with animal fat, without even a wick. Oh, come on, surely they could do better than that. I know that egyptologists love nothing more than endlessly repeating whatever the very first Western explorers of the 1800s said back in their day. But that was a different era, a time when the African peoples living alongside those explorers were viewed as little more than a class of sub-humans. Just imagine, then, how those Westerners, the French foremost among them, perceived the Egyptians who had lived thousands of years earlier.

How can one imagine that a people who built so many wonders, especially in total darkness, would not have developed an effective, or even highly effective, solution for seeing what they were doing in that pitch-black environment? Well, with all due respect to our dear friends the egyptologists and other historians: yes, the ancient Egyptians did have candles at their disposal, candles far more effective than our own pathetic little "modern" Western industrial ones; candles that produced far less soot than our Western candles, while providing more light and greater wind stability.

The solution to the candle mystery comes, once again, from that remarkable country, Japan. Back in early 2025, I had already realized that the Egyptians glorified not only writing itself, through Thoth and Seshat, but also the tools essential to that writing: namely, the stylus (Thoth) and the ink (Seshat). I highly recommend reading this chapter, which, until now, was the most important of all the chapters in “The Pyramids of the Cold”; it was so significant that I originally made it the first chapter, the very foundation of the study. I demonstrated that, to create perfectly straight lines, the Egyptians used a tool identical in every respect to the Sumi-tsubo, a tool still used in Japan today that employs ink (Seshat).

What we are about to see is astonishing, because the Egyptian texts reveal, in a coded yet genuine way, that their candles were identical in every respect to traditional Japanese candles: the extraordinary Wa-Rousoku.

The making of Japanese Warōsoku (和蝋燭). Science Channel (2.02): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aU_l8gZr3I

66.25  Probably most ancient Egyptian candle holders were made of faience

Among her many epithets, Hathor was known as the "Lady of Faience." This may well be because households in ancient Egypt likely kept candles throughout the home, and the best material, inexpensive yet perfectly effective, was undoubtedly faience. One can envision simple faience bowls, such as those illustrated above, where the hot wax used to make Warōsoku is poured into faience vessels, but also faience candlesticks or other types of candle holders made from the same material.

“She was also called "Lady of Faience", a blue-green ceramic that Egyptians likened to turquoise. Hathor was also worshipped at various quarries and mining sites in Egypt's Eastern Desert, such as the amethyst mines of Wadi el-Hudi, where she was sometimes called "Lady of Amethyst".” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

The ancient Egyptians did not use wax derived from a wax tree, as the Japanese do to make Warōsoku (the traditional Japanese candles), but they certainly employed the same manufacturing technique, in which successive layers of wax build up the candle through a constant back-and-forth motion reminiscent of the act of male masturbation. [The making of Japanese Warōsoku, 和蝋燭, by the Science Channel, 6.19]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aU_l8gZr3I

66.26  The explanation of the the "Hand of Atum" metaphor, the hand Atum uses to masturbate

We now turn to a myth involving both Hathor and Atum, a myth that mentions the act of male masturbation, something Atum evidently enjoyed. More specifically, the story goes that Atum masturbated using his hand, the aptly named "Hand of Atum." The story takes an unexpected turn, however, in that Hathor could also be referred to as the "Hand of Atum." This story is so characteristic of the encryption methods the ancient Egyptians used to record their knowledge that it could almost be seen as a caricature; I wonder how egyptologists and the general public alike, upon hearing a tale where a man's masturbatory hand could also be called the "Hand of Hathor", fail to become the least bit suspicious about the true nature of the message. How could anyone for a moment think this myth was meant to be taken literally?

Clearly, this myth is entirely metaphorical. The metaphor concerns the most efficient method for creating fire using the technology available to the ancient Egyptians, specifically using the bow drill, a tool they knew well and which is frequently depicted in use. The bow drill method is far more efficient than the clichéd image we all picture when imagining making fire by hand, simply spinning a stick by rubbing one's palms together. With the bow drill, only one hand is active, and that hand replicates the exact motion of male masturbation.

66.27  The doublemeaning of the Hand of Atum tale

Another crucial point to understand about the ancient Egyptians is that they often thought in terms of double meanings; whenever possible, they would choose a specific metaphor or clever device over another if it allowed them to evoke multiple concepts simultaneously. This may well be the case here with the "Hand of Atum."

The traditional Japanese candle-making technique differs entirely from the Western method. Rather than dipping the wick to build up layers of wax, the Japanese employ a manual process. They perform the entire operation by hand, with one hand constantly moving back and forth around the candles as they take shape. I mention this because, while the first explanation is certainly valid, linking the process directly to creating fire and thus manifesting Hathor (the flame), the second explanation so closely mirrors the act of male masturbation that I find it hard to imagine the ancient Egyptians passing up the chance to playfully allude to that act through candle-making. After all, as you have likely gathered, they used the same method still employed in Japan today, and they loved to have fun and be mischievous.

How Japanese Candles Are Made from Plants in a Workshop Founded in 1914. COMMONS | Stories from Japan (3.34): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oprWBGvkOMU

66.28  The five gifts of Hathor are a glorification of the five fingers of the artisan's left hand, which gradually transform into five candles during the process of successive wax deposits

The "Five Gifts of Hathor", referring to the five fingers of the left hand of a poor farmer who joined the cult of Hathor, echo the very method of candle-making found in ancient Egyptian tradition, a process that turns out to be an exact replica of the traditional Japanese technique. Since most people are right-handed, as seen in the first video, or the one from which the adjacent image is taken, successive layers of wax are applied using the left hand to form the candle. During this process, the left hand gradually becomes completely coated in wax, and the fingers take on the appearance of candles; this is the origin of the "Five Gifts of Hathor." As the video also demonstrates, the wax is typically removed from the five fingers of the left hand using a type of knife, a tool that also appears in the myth, specifically in the reference to “cutting a stalk of wheat”.

“When a poor farmer joined in the worship of Hathor, the priest or priestess would take hold of their left forearm and say, "Name the five things you would miss the most if you were to die right now." The person would have to name the first five things which came to mind without thinking too precisely on them - perhaps something like, "My wife, my children, beer, my dog, the river. The priestess, priest, or – perhaps – wise woman, would then raise the person's left hand in front of the person's face and say, "These are the five gifts of Hathor", and the person would look at the five fingers of their left hand as the ritual would continue, "Every day you have at least these five things to be grateful for and, should you lose one, there will always come another." When that person went back out into the fields and reached out for the stalk of wheat to cut, under the hot sun, they would see their left hand always before them and be constantly reminded of the five gifts of Hathor.” Mark, Joshua J.. "The Five Gifts of Hathor: Gratitude in Ancient Egypt." World History Encyclopedia, May 06, 2020: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/58/the-five-gifts-of-hathor-gratitude-in-ancient-egyp/

How Japanese Candles Are Made from Plants in a Workshop Founded in 1914. COMMONS | Stories from Japan (3.38): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oprWBGvkOMU

The making of Japanese Warōsoku (和蝋燭). Science Channel (7.39): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aU_l8gZr3I

66.29  The metaphor of the melted wax resembling blood

Whenever a striking metaphor presented itself, the ancient Egyptians did not hesitate for a moment to use it, even if some might find it shocking; such is the case here with one of the goddess's epithets, which described her as "Lady of the Vulva." Like all others, this metaphor remains perfectly understandable 5,000 years later, for the underlying image is that of melted wax running down a candle, likened to menstrual blood flowing down a woman's legs during her period.

"Hathor was the incarnation of dance and sexuality and was given the epithet “Hand of God” (referring to the act of masturbation) and “Lady of the Vulva”.” https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/hathor/

“Hathor was a solar deity, a feminine counterpart to sun gods such as Horus and Ra, and was a member of the divine entourage that accompanied Ra as he sailed through the sky in his barque. She was commonly called the "Golden One", referring to the radiance of the sun, and texts from her temple at Dendera say "her rays illuminate the whole earth." She was sometimes fused with another goddess, Nebethetepet, whose name can mean "Lady of the Offering", "Lady of Contentment", or "Lady of the Vulva".” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

The making of Japanese Warōsoku (和蝋燭). Science Channel (0.59): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aU_l8gZr3I

66.30  How the ancient Egyptians, in addition to using pure white tallow derived from beef fat to meet their immense lighting needs, also utilized the fruit of a magical tree, Hathor’s Tree of Life, the ished tree, to obtain tree wax. There were two Hathors: the cow-goddess and the tree-goddess

We now come to what is perhaps the most significant discovery of this chapter regarding Hathor, the ancient Egyptian goddess of light. While there is no doubt that vast quantities of beef fat, specifically in the form of highly purified white tallow, were used to meet the immense lighting needs associated with the construction and decoration of ancient Egypt's underground structures, the Egyptians clearly had access to many other sources of lipids. Olive oil is a well-known example; however, what we are about to see is that Hathor was also revered as a "Tree Goddess" (rather than just a "Cow Goddess") because the ancient Egyptians did not merely "replicate" the method still used today to make traditional Japanese Warōsoku candles. In reality, they employed the exact same process to extract wax from tree fruit, crushing and grinding the seeds using millstones.

It is plausible to surmise that what might be termed "worksite candles", used wherever lighting was required at construction sites, were indeed made from white tallow. These were quick and inexpensive to produce: one simply inserted one or more wicks into a molded block of white tallow. Conversely, for higher-end candles, whether intended for lighting or for scenting a room, the Egyptians could utilize candles that were not molded but rather made by dipping, following the traditional Japanese method still in use today. And the proof that the ancient Egyptians actually employed the entire Japanese Warōsoku method lies precisely in Hathor, the Ished Tree Goddess, and, by extension, the Tree of Life itself.

Today, Hathor is known as the "Lady of the Sycamore," (the nehet tree), but it is important to note that she was originally associated not with the sycamore nehet tree but with a different tree, the ished tree, which vanished early on due to the drying out of the land. In fact, the association shifted from the ished tree to the nehet tree simply so the Egyptians could continue to venerate that ished tree, the Tree of Life, in their daily lives. Consequently, there is little point in focusing on the sycamore; it was merely a stopgap, a second-choice or last-minute alternative. Hathor’s true tree is the ished tree, known for producing beautiful, lipid-rich kernels that the ancient Egyptians utilized, notably for lighting. This magical tree, Hathor’s ished tree, is Mimusops schimperi, known today as Mimusops laurifolia.

“One of the Lady’s symbols is the Tree of Life and this is true in Ancient Egypt as well. Professor Hall says, these are not two ladies, but one lady venerated in two places. In the Old Kingdom, this tree was the ished tree, which is an evergreen tree we call the persea (Mimusops Schimperi). In Egyptian mythology, the tree is threatened by the snake god Apophis, god of the underworld and symbol of the forces of chaos, but is protected by the lioness/cat goddess Bast, lower Egypt’s equivalent of upper Egypt’s Hathor. The name Bast means devouring lady, and in its later form Bastet, perfumed oil. Later, due to the desiccation of the land, the persea died out and its attributes were transferred to the Sycamore Tree (nehet) – not to be confused with the sycomore tree mentioned in the bible, which is a kind of fig tree. Hathor was called “Lady of the Sycamore” and the dead were buried in coffins of sycamore wood, returning them to the womb of the mother goddess. Tomb paintings show Hathor sprouting from the trunk, offering water and the fruit of the tree.” https://scalambra.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/the-tree-of-life-in-ancient-egypt/

“The Ished or persea is often mentioned in Egyptian mythology: the tree was associated with the rising sun. […] Garlands made of Mimusops leaves and fruits were found at Medinet Habu and Deir el Medina, in Tutankhamun's tomb and remains were found in the workmen's village at Amarna.” https://www.facebook.com/PetrieMuseum/posts/i-is-for-ished-tree-or-schewab-in-egyptian-called-the-tree-of-life-its-latin-nam/10156271855515406/

“Mimusops laurifolia was cultivated in ancient Egypt. Twigs and leaves have been found in tombs from the Twelfth Dynasty to Greco-Roman times, and it was mentioned in texts from the 18th Dynasty onwards. The wood was fashioned into ushabti figurines and other funerary objects, or into furniture such as beds and tables.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimusops_laurifolia

Tree goddess Isis [often, this is Hathor who is represented], in the tomb of Sennedjem at Luxor, photograph by Paul Smit and Mick Palarczyk: https://paulsmit.smugmug.com/Features/Africa/Egypt-Luxor-tombs/i-jqJ9rQM/A

66.31  It is not water that the tree-goddess (here Isis) is pouring, but oil obtained by pressing the nuts of the ished tree; the millstones used for the process are even shown

This famous depiction of the Tree Goddess is thus an idealized, imaginative illustration of the process of extracting oil from the nuts of a wax tree; the curious white shapes arranged on the tray she carries are, of course, simply the millstones required for the operation. Whatever the exact design of the mills used by the ancient Egyptians for this extraction, the principle remains the same: two interacting millstones, with one pressing down upon the other. The accompanying illustration presents a somewhat stylized, textbook image of this process, yet some mills operate quite differently; indeed, it is likely very difficult to go further in attempting to reconstruct the actual method used with greater precision. Be that as it may, the objects the goddess is carrying are the millstones.

Millstones from the Kurrajong Singleton mills on display at Memorial Park, Kurrajong. The vertical stone is from the Lower Mill and the horizontal stone is from the Upper Mill: https://www.singletonmills.com/mill-upper-kurrajong.html

66.32  Why is Isis associated with the wax Tree of Life?

The scene depicting Isis or Hathor with the famous ished Tree of Life is thus a magnificent, coded illustration designed to highlight the process of extracting oil, in this instance, from the nuts of a wax tree. This process yields a purely plant-based wax, ideal for making candles, scented candles, and the like. It is easy to see, then, why Hathor, the goddess of light and, by extension, the goddess of the candle, is frequently associated with this imagery. But why, then, is Isis also depicted in this pose, as seen in the illustration here? What is Isis doing in this tree?

To answer this question, one must understand that Isis is the deified embodiment of very special ropes, the ones used to continuously hoist the Great Pyramid's piston-like impactor. I realize that many of you might lose the thread at this point, given the immense complexity of the subject, and that many are perfectly content with the simple answers provided by Egyptologists. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Ancient Egypt was anything but simple; one need only look at the treasures they bequeathed to us to realize that.

In the depiction shown here, the tree goddess is Isis, but the scene could just as easily feature Hathor. The two goddesses, Hathor and Isis, are often portrayed so similarly that, unless their names are written alongside, it is impossible to tell which goddess is actually being depicted. I strongly encourage you to read the chapters in The Pyramids of the Cold that deal with the Great Pyramid of Egypt; there, not only is its true function explained, but I also attempt, as best I can, to unravel the various glorifications surrounding the way it was used.

If you believe the Great Pyramid was designed as the final resting place of Khufu, simply ask yourself these questions: If you were a pharaoh, would you agree to be buried in a structure, however imposing, that lacked any decoration, paintings, or engravings? Would you agree to be buried in a structure devoid of even a single hieroglyph or text anywhere, not in any part of the building, and certainly not in the chamber meant to house you, nor on your sarcophagus itself? Do you really believe that the great pharaoh of Egypt would consent to be buried in total anonymity, without his name appearing anywhere?

In reality, egyptologists have carefully avoided explaining why so many expected features are missing from the Great Pyramid, just as they have carefully avoided explaining the features that are actually present. If you wish to understand why several tons of scale and salt were removed from the horizontal passage and the Queen's Chamber by Zahi Hawass in 1998; if you want to know why this "horizontal" passage is not actually horizontal at all, featuring a 0.30% slope over 23 meters, similar to that of an aqueduct; and if you want to know why this famous passage begins with joints that look strikingly like expansion joints, then I invite you to read this section of the study.

The key takeaway is that the goddess Isis was created specifically to glorify the use of two ropes that were crucial to the pyramid's operation; cycle after cycle, they tirelessly hauled what could be described as an impactor, or a piston, to the very top of the Grand Gallery, from where it was released down the slope to generate both pressurized air and water. These two elements were essential for producing intense cold, likely below zero degrees Celsius, through a process of flash-evaporation of water, precisely in the area where the salt and scale deposits were discovered and subsequently destroyed by Hawass.

It is actually within the myth of Osiris that the function of Isis is revealed. In this myth, the god Osiris is trapped and enclosed inside a wooden chest, which is then cast into the waters of the Nile; however, upon washing up on the riverbank, the chest becomes trapped and enclosed within the hollow trunk of a tree. Isis then arrives to rescue Osiris, pulling him out of this predicament. All of this is, once again, merely a metaphorical narrative that actually describes, with great precision, the operating cycle of the Great Pyramid's piston-like impactor. The key takeaway is that the goddess Isis is, in reality, the glorification of the two ropes that tirelessly hauled this impactor to the very top of the Grand Gallery, an impactor that had to operate inside an airtight wooden chamber to generate pressurized air, and which required ballast to gain sufficient speed (and thus energy) before striking the flooded section of the airtight caisson to generate pressurized water. Osiris, therefore, represented the impactor's ballast.

In short, Isis was the glorification of ropes, two ropes that, in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians, played an essential role in the Great Pyramid's operation. And because Isis came to be viewed with an aura and prestige unmatched for a mere rope, starting in the Fifth Dynasty, when the earliest versions of the Osiris myth appeared in the "Pyramid Texts", poor Hathor saw her own "decline" begin in favor of Isis. Compared to the great Isis, bathed in the extraordinary prestige of having "participated" in the legend of the Great Pyramid, what chance did Hathor stand, she who represented nothing more than the glorification of the flame rising from the candle’s wick? Well, the Egyptians evidently made their choice. Between the great Isis and Hathor’s little wick, it was the former that consumed the latter.

“During the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BC), goddesses such as Mut and Isis encroached on Hathor's position in royal ideology, but she remained one of the most widely worshipped deities. After the end of the New Kingdom, Hathor was increasingly overshadowed by Isis, but she continued to be venerated until the extinction of ancient Egyptian religion in the early centuries AD.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

[Germinating Osiris brick] at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New-York. "Beginning in Dynasty 18, beds were made on which soil was molded into the shape of the god of regeneration and ruler of the dead, Osiris. Thickly sown with grain and kept moist until the grain sprouted and grew, then left to dry again, these figures were created as part of a ritual carried out in association with the Osirian Festival of Khoiak [...] and magically expressed the concept of life springing from death, symbolizing the resurrection of Osiris." https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/553820

The making of Japanese Warōsoku (和蝋燭). Science Channel (1.46): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aU_l8gZr3I

66.33  Isis is inextricably linked to the concepts of pulling and extracting. Here she is extracting wax

We now have all the elements needed to answer the question of why Isis could replace Hathor in that famous scene depicting the Tree of Life, specifically, the celebration of wax extraction from a "wax tree," namely the ished tree.

To understand this, one must step back and appreciate the complexity of the riddles employed by the ancient Egyptians. Recognizing the grinding stones on their platform is easy once you know the image depicts the pressing of ished tree nuts; these are tangible objects, things one can touch and visualize. Hathor is a more complex figure, representing the glorification of light, but Isis is even more challenging, as she embodies the oil extraction process itself. "Extraction" is the key word here. Extracting oil from the nut means pulling the oil out of it.

That is precisely why Isis was used, as a versatile symbolic tool. Isis represents the glorification of the Great Pyramid’s ropes, which tirelessly pulled the Grand Gallery’s piston-like impactor, cycle after cycle; in the Osiris myth, it is Isis who saves Osiris from the waters of the Nile and pulls him from the hollow tree where he was imprisoned. Isis is thus inextricably linked to the concepts of pulling and extracting. That is why she appears here: she single-handedly personifies the very process of wax extraction.

Naturally, since the purpose of this scene is to extract the wax, what the two kneeling figures are holding is precisely that wax, doubtless transformed here into a scented soap, judging by their posture, which suggests they are smelling the palms of their hands with great satisfaction.

We also come to understand what really happened, and why the Egyptians replaced the ished tree, a source of wax, in their hearts with the sycamore, a tree that might seem entirely unsuited to representing what the ished tree was meant to glorify. In reality, however, what the Egyptians saw in the sycamore were its massive figs; these bore a vague resemblance to the fruit of the ished tree, but on a vastly larger scale. The sycamore thus served to elevate the ished tree, doing so through the size of its fruit, and, by extension, the quantity of wax that could be extracted from it.

66.34  Hathor, goddess of light, was also the goddess of all possible forms of nocturnal festivities, all of which required abundant artificial light, and therefore candles

Another easily recognizable aspect of Hathor is her role as the goddess of music, dance, and, in short, celebration. Hathor was the goddess of festivity simply because, across all ages and civilizations, people gather at night to celebrate and from time to time simply to get drunk, and this requires, today just as it did thousands of years ago, light, a great deal of light, and therefore many candles lined up side by side. That is why Hathor was the goddess of all kinds of celebration, music, drunkness and garlands.

“Many of Hathor's epithets link her to celebration; she is called the mistress of music, dance, garlands, myrrh, and drunkenness. In hymns and temple reliefs, musicians play tambourines, harps, lyres, and sistra in Hathor's honor.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor

Vibrant crowd enjoying the Lights All Night music festival: https://lightsallnight.com/

Relief of Traianus on the side of the mamisi of the Dendara temple, Egypt. Hathor suckling her son Ihy. Photo Olaf Tausch: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Dendera_R%C3%B6misches_Mammisi_19.JPG

“The way Ihy's enthusiasm for life banishes all fear is movingly encapsulated in a relief from an Old Kingdom tomb depicting a shepherd crossing the Nile with his cattle. The shepherd must somehow overcome his cattle's aversion to the water, where unknown dangers and perils lurk, and to do so he carries a young calf on his shoulders.” Wading across the Nile, using a calf to attract cattle: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cowofgold_Essays/comments/s3l20c/the_god_ihy/

66.35  Ihy part 1: the context of sewing

If you appreciate complexity, you will enjoy this paragraph about Ihy. As beautifully illustrated in the myth where Ihy acts as a scout leading a herd of cows while carrying a small calf, Ihy embodies the idea that for something great to move forward, one must often use a tiny fraction of it to initiate the motion. I believe that, in reality, Ihy was conceived by the ancient Egyptians within the context of sewing, specifically the process of threading a needle, where one must first pass one end of the thread through the eye. In this context, a solution used since time immemorial is to moisten that end with saliva; once that is done, the rest of the thread follows smoothly.

In the illustration above, the small calf actually represents that tiny portion of the thread. A calf is the offspring of a cow; yet, there is no true separation between the cows on one side and the calf on the other, they all represent the same thing: the thread. The calf simply represents the tip of the thread, the small leading section.

A close look at the image reveals that it is entirely centered on the theme of sewing. Observe what the central figure is wearing, and you will easily recognize the sewing needle with its small, rounded head, the thread draped around his neck, and that strange object, which looks like a flask but is actually a small tool familiar to every sewing enthusiast: the needle threader. That is the context, then, but why is Ihy also the son of Hathor? Because a candle needs a wick, and a wick is nothing more than thread. Where the Egyptians demonstrated genius was in the way this scene must be interpreted, not from the perspective of sewing, but from that of how a candle works.

A candle may seem extremely simple to understand, but in reality, its functioning is very complex, and that is what we are going to look at now.

66.36  Hathor suckles Ihy, for she is that very thing: the candle that feeds the wick with liquid wax. Ihy is that wick of the candle

Understanding what Hathor truly represents marks a tremendous step forward in reconstructing the reality of ancient Egypt during that extraordinary pharaonic era; through Ihy, we can effectively travel back in time and almost witness real moments from the lives of the ancient Egyptians. Hathor is the embodiment and sublimation of the candle, raised to the rank of a deity, yet a candle is of little use without a wick. Ihy is that wick.

For once, the ancient Egyptians made our task much easier, as Ihy’s defining attribute is precisely a “mèche”, a lock of hair. While English distinguishes between "wick" and "lock," French uses the same word for both: “mèche”. Ihy’s very nature is this “mèche”.

I invite you to look at the Trajan relief shown above, featuring both Hathor and Ihy at the center of the image. Hathor represents the candle, and Ihy the wick; observe the deities' postures closely, and you will understand why Hathor appears to hold Ihy with her left arm while Ihy seems to cling to her with his right. Naturally, a candle wick cannot stand on its own; it remains in place only because the rest of the candle, the wax, surrounds it.

To understand why Hathor is breastfeeding Ihy, we must recall how a candle works: specifically, that a candle burns only because a portion of the solid wax transforms into liquid wax. This liquid wax is naturally drawn up the wick to its very top, where there is sufficient oxygen for combustion to occur. In other words, the wick must be fed with liquid wax. This is what Hathor does: by nursing Ihy, she shows that she is nourishing that wick of liquid wax.

Stages of the combustion process. Victor Nikolaevich Kondratiev, Britannica, Combustion phenomena and classification: https://www.britannica.com/science/combustion/Combustion-phenomena-and-classification

“The way Ihy's enthusiasm for life banishes all fear is movingly encapsulated in a relief from an Old Kingdom tomb depicting a shepherd crossing the Nile with his cattle. The shepherd must somehow overcome his cattle's aversion to the water, where unknown dangers and perils lurk, and to do so he carries a young calf on his shoulders.” Wading across the Nile, using a calf to attract cattle: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cowofgold_Essays/comments/s3l20c/the_god_ihy/

66.37  Ihy part 2: how to explain to children how a candle works

We can now grasp the full significance of this depiction of Ihy and the story in which a small calf leads the rest of the herd across a river. In the context of sewing, one must either moisten the tip of the thread with saliva or use a needle threader to pull the entire thread through the eye of the needle; similarly, with a burning candle, the wax must be liquefied bit by bit so it can rise to the top of the wick, ensuring the combustion of the entire initial mass of solid wax.

One can easily imagine, whether during family evenings or in a more formal educational setting, children being taught how a candle works: how a small amount of wax had to melt first so it could rise and burn at the very top of the wick. Candle combustion is a complex process, and it was likely through this charming myth of the little calf crossing the river that young Egyptians learned how it worked.

Relief of Traianus on the side of the mamisi of the Dendara temple, Egypt. Hathor suckling her son Ihy. Photo Olaf Tausch: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Dendera_R%C3%B6misches_Mammisi_19.JPG

Iron rests. Collection of Georges: https://vieux-outils-art-populaire.blogspot.com/2014/10/repose-fer-repasser.html

66.38  How avoiding burns from heat, also about the iron

The strategy of information "concealment" employed by the ancient Egyptians relied heavily on the concepts of double meanings and multiple applications; deities served as practical tools, much like a painter’s palette of colored paints used to create a canvas. Ihy, for instance, embodied the glorification of a simple piece of string: a versatile item that could serve as a candle wick or as sewing thread, requiring a dab of saliva on the tip to pass through the eye of a needle. This explains the seamless transition from the world of candles to that of sewing, and from sewing to the realm of the flatiron and its stand.

While it may all seem nonsensical at first glance, everything is, in fact, perfectly coherent. It is precisely because Ihy can be described as the god of string that he was also the god of bread and beer; a simple piece of string allowed one to tie shut a bread sack, protecting its contents from the elements, while preserving beer required string to secure the clay stopper that hermetically sealed the vessel. String likely played a crucial role in opening beer amphorae, a process akin to "uncapping" the dried clay seal. The string was presumably arranged in such a way that a gentle tug would cleanly slice through the clay stopper. Ultimately, the pharaonic authorities created these Egyptian deities to glorify every aspect of daily life, a key takeaway from this study.

Ihy’s finger gesture is thus linked to the idea of ​​avoiding burns from heat; naturally, the ancient Egyptians did not hesitate to glorify another piece of their know-how: the tool that prevents one’s clothes from being scorched by an iron. What Trainaus holds so proudly in his hands is nothing other than an iron rest.

66.39  The candle wick is just a string, just like the one on your bread bag

Because Ihy embodied the small cord used as a candle wick, the ancient Egyptians invoked him whenever they encountered a depiction of such a cord, particularly the type used to tie up bread sacks. This is why Ihy was the god associated with bread; he was the one who ensured the bread was preserved in good condition.

“In the Book of the Dead Ihy is called the “Lord of Bread” and is said to be “in charge of beer,” in reference to offerings. He was invoked for rebirth and regeneration, and there is some evidence to suggest that Ihy ruled over blood, feces, and bodily fluids.” https://www.reddit.com/r/Cowofgold_Essays/comments/s3l20c/the_god_ihy/

How to Sew a Simple Bread Bag. Ben Franklin Crafts and Frame Shop stores in Bonney Lake & Monroe, WA: https://www.bfranklincrafts.com/how-to-sew-a-simple-bread-bag/

66.40  In some respects, the sphincters of the human body are nothing more than "strings", or "cords" which must be tightened and loosened

One can understand the sense of stasis and bewilderment felt by egyptologists when confronted with deities like Ihy, whom the ancient Egyptians associated with concepts that seem utterly contradictory, such as music, feces, urine, and blood. Yet, everything makes sense once you realize that Ihy is simply the deified embodiment of the cord used in candles. That is why Ihy was the god associated with feces, urine, and blood.

“In the Book of the Dead Ihy is called the “Lord of Bread” and is said to be “in charge of beer,” in reference to offerings. He was invoked for rebirth and regeneration, and there is some evidence to suggest that Ihy ruled over blood, feces, and bodily fluids. […] The Hymn of Ihy states: “My majesty precedes me as Ihy, the Son of Hathor. I slid forth from the outflow between her thighs, in this my name of Jackal of Light. I broke forth from the egg, I oozed out of her essence. I escaped from her blood, I am the Master of the Redness.” https://www.reddit.com/r/Cowofgold_Essays/comments/s3l20c/the_god_ihy/

The sphincter controls the exit opening for feces, urine, etc: https://www.wikihow.com/Strengthen-Bowel-Muscles

Relief depicting Ihy, son of Hathor and Horus, with the famous gesture of the finger pointing to the mouth. Temple of Hathor at Dendera: https://www.facebook.com/Egypt.Museum/posts/relief-depicting-ihy-son-of-hathor-and-horus-temple-of-hathor-at-denderaihy-is-a/658927866262806/

66.41  Ihy and the timeless gesture of wetting one's fingers with saliva before extinguishing a candle or moisten the end of the thread before passing it through the eye of the needle

Let us now turn to the gesture that makes Ihy so distinctive, the one where he appears to be pointing at his mouth. I say "appears," because that is obviously not at all what he is doing. We have all made this gesture at least once in our lives: it is the act of wetting one's fingers with saliva before extinguishing a candle flame, or rather, of pinching out the tip of the wick between one's fingers. This metaphor of the dying candle is certainly not the most important of all those already deciphered, but isn't it, nonetheless, one of the most touching?

How to Put Out a Candle with Your Fingers: https://www.wikihow.com/Put-Out-a-Candle-with-Your-Fingers

66.42  Hathor was feared just as much as she was adored because, much like a candle flame, she could provide light but also burn you and become a blood-thirsty goddess

Throughout this chapter dedicated to the great goddess Hathor, we will focus on her positive aspects; yet, as the embodiment of the candle, she naturally possessed a dark, dangerous side.

A candle flame illuminates and even warms, but it can also burn you, or even set fire to your home, your neighborhood, or the entire city. That is why Hathor was an ambivalent goddess: simultaneously worshipped and feared.

When you are burned by a flame, the skin turns red. A red color skin burn typically indicates a minor to moderate thermal injury, most commonly classified as a first-degree or superficial second-degree burn. And this is what the myth portraying Hathor as bloodthirsty and dangerous is about: it is the burning of the skin by the candle flame that causes the blood to appear. Hathor was indeed blood-thirsty and dangerous.

“She is many things wondrous: goddess of joy, and of love, personification of kindness and beauty. Her bovine eyes and long lashes are the embodiment of femininity and passion. She is divine and maternal; yet blood-thirsty and dangerous. She is the great one with many names. She is Hathor.” https://australian.museum/blog-archive/science/egyptian-past-holy-cow/    Classification of burns: https://www.icliniq.com/articles/first-aid-and-emergencies/burns

How to achieve hair-free, smooth legs. Mommy Camille Quiambao: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU9HOF5sg8w

66.43  Wax is not only used to make candles; it can also be used for hair removal, particularly on the lower legs when you can no longer see your skin

Those famous figurines depicting women whose bodies begin only at the knees offer a textbook case study. I call it a textbook case because I encourage you to read the thoroughly researched article by W. Benson Harer Jr.; it presents a litany of the clichés typical of 19th-century Egyptology, clichés that still serve as the standard in the field today. I say this with all due respect to the author, who has spent a lifetime immersed in an ideology that is both backward-looking and reductive. It portrays the ancient Egyptians as almost virtual, idealized figures, people whose lives can be fully deciphered through a supposed, constant drive to reduce everything to a specific type of religious thinking centered on the afterlife, the hereafter, eternal life, and various magical practices. We will have taken a major step forward the day Egyptology finally grasps that everything within Egyptian religion is merely a reflection of the very real, everyday lives of this vanished people.

We have just seen that Hathor is the embodiment and deification of the candle, whether made from cow fat (Hathor was a cow goddess) or from the wax-producing ished tree (and Hathor was also a tree goddess). And the solution to the mystery of these figurines, "amputated" at the knee and universally recognized as being linked to Hathor, lies precisely in wax.

Female figure with “tattoos”. Le Louvre E 10942 : https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010007299

Egyptian female faience figure. Freeman's: https://freemansauction.com/auction/1035-antiquities-and-ancient-art/lot/21

The figurines in question are not amulets for healing, talismans or anything of the sort; they are amulets related with waxing (hair removal). In reality, the beautiful women depicted on these amulets are not amputated at the knee; it is simply a very Egyptian way of framing the issue. When you have excessive body hair, wherever it may be, your body itself is no longer visible; all that can be seen is the hair. Of course, at this stage, one wouldn't head to a temple, but rather to an aesthetician for appropriate hair removal.

The subject of these lovely little amulets is, in fact, hair removal; that is why the pubic triangle is clearly defined on many of them, and the vulvar cleft is sometimes even plainly visible as well as the neckline.

Today, the mark of successful hair removal is skin as soft as a baby's; the Egyptians, however, had a different way of putting it: for them, it meant skin as smooth and soft as a seashell, specifically, the cowrie shell. That is why the women depicted on these amulets are shown wearing cowrie shell necklaces. One can therefore imagine that all those odd marks resembling tattoos are actually just the traces left by the strip of paper used to remove the wax. It might even be that what appears on the upper back of the Freeman's figure is the strip of paper used to remove the wax.

Of course, this means that these figurines are not covered in tattoos at all; they are merely wax spots or marks left by the hair removal process itself.

66.44  The "hair" removal

If you think the ancient Egyptians didn't seize every opportunity to indulge their penchant for instruction, you are mistaken. Look closely at the hair on these figurines, and you will notice that the texture is, to say the least, odd or even suspicious; the hair is pitted with numerous small cavities. What do these cavities signify? The answer, once again, lies in the hair-removal process. Make no mistake: ancient Egyptians, did not merely remove body hair; they also shaved. So, how could these figurines effectively depict the specific act of hair removal? Simply by showing that the process involves pulling the hair out, root and all. That is precisely what the cavities in the hair represent: the hair has been torn out, leaving behind a hole, much like the gap left when a plant or tree is uprooted.

Now, the question is: why were these statuettes produced? In what context were they offered? Well, I believe the answer is that they served as a token of thanks to Hathor. When you visit an aesthetician or perform hair removal yourself, you need hot, liquid wax; and the one who provided this liquid wax was none other than Hathor, the glorification of the candle, the one who transforms solid wax into liquid wax.

66.45  Both men and women had their body hair removed in ancient Egypt, in a domestic sphere

Gaining an understanding of this type of statuette reveals something very interesting about the practices of the ancient Egyptians, as these figures were used by both women and men. This clearly indicates that in ancient Egypt, concern for body hair was not the exclusive province of women; rather, it was a matter of interest for both men and women, and it was indeed part of the domestic sphere.

“Early records are sadly incomplete, but it is clear – and important to note – that they were possessed by both women and men. None have any inscription and they were not ritually broken. Significantly, no such figurines were ever found in a temple or shrine to Hathor in Egypt. This means they were not typical votives to Hathor, such as those left with a prayer of gratitude or supplication at shrines or temples. Furthermore, as Pinch has shown: ‘The funerary function and symbolism of such objects is [sic] secondary. They belong primarily in the domestic sphere’.” [Harer's study] “Hathor’s healing talismans. A series of elegant female figurines, the subject of ongoing research, had been wrongly identified in the past as ‘brides of the dead’. W. Benson Harer Jr. proposes a new theory to explain their purpose.” https://the-past.com/feature/hathors-healing-talismans/

[left figure from the MET] “Female figures of this type, often found with burials especially of the Middle Kingdom, were in the past called "concubines." Nowadays they are understood in a more general sense as representations of the life-giving female powers of sexual attraction and giving birth, powers from which the dead could derive a new life. As is the case for most representatives of the type, this faience figure lacks the lower legs and has elaborate tattoos all over its body. The figure also wears a girdle of cowrie shell shaped beads and a long bead necklace crossed over the chest. The hair is arranged in the so-called "Hathor" style–two thick tresses with curled ends falling forward over the shoulders.” Female figure, Metropolitan Museum of Art. Object Number: 08.200.18: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544220

Three women making music for Amun, the Ennead, and Hathor; the one in the middle is holding up a sesheshet sistrum whose upper arc is preserved. TT 82 of Amenemhat. Photo: Bruno Sandkühler, Osiris.net : https://rivista.museoegizio.it/article/flawed-and-fine-the-statue-of-hel-in-the-museo-egizio-turin-cat-7352/

66.46  The menat, so inseparable from Hahtor, is nothing more than the wick trimmer

Today, most people who own candles at home rarely use them, or generally do so only for leisure or relaxation, it feels good and it smells good, and have very limited knowledge of the requirements for proper candle care, such as the well-known "tunneling" effect or the fact that wax has a "memory." The ancient Egyptians, by contrast, used candles from morning till night for lighting and minor heating needs; they certainly took the maintenance of these candles very seriously. One tool in particular is of extreme importance because it allows for the regular adjustment of the wick length: the wick trimmer. This tool could be compared to your car's accelerator pedal; it is absolutely indispensable and inseparable from the candle, whether used in a home or professional setting. Inseparable. And no other tool associated with candle use can be described in such terms. Inseparable, just as the famous menat is inseparable from the goddess Hathor.

Take a close look at what might be called the "active" part of the tool, the cutting part, and you will recognize the menat. You will also understand why the menat is so often depicted not as a perfect circle, but as an oval shape. A wick trimmer consists of two parts that spread apart to grasp the wick between their jaws; in doing so, they appear to form an oval shape perpendicular to the tool's central axis. The menat is nothing more than a disguised representation of the wick trimmer.

Wick trimmer: https://edgewatercandles.com/products/wick-trimmer

Menat necklace from Malqata. “A menat necklace consists of a heavy, keyhole-shaped counterpoise (menat) and many strands of beads. Although the necklace is sometimes shown being worn, it was more often carried by females participating in religious ceremonies. It functioned as a percussion instrument that was shaken to create a soothing noise that was thought to appease a god or goddess”. New Kingdom. Dynasty 18. Reign of Amenhotep III. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Object Number: 11.215.450: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544509

66.47  A so-called musical instrument that would fall apart at the slightest attempt at actual use is completely absurd, and yet, it must have been shaken all right, sometimes quite vigorously, due to the presence of the wax, which made the small, cut-off pieces of wick extremely sticky

The menat necklace is undoubtedly one of the most powerful symbols of ancient Egypt, and contrary to the claims of egyptologists, it is obviously not a musical instrument. Have you really looked at the object? Did you not realize that at the slightest attempt to use it, the strings of beads would shatter and detach from the metal part? How could anyone imagine for a second that the menat necklace is a musical instrument, specifically, a percussion instrument? It is all absurd; egyptologists would do better to admit they do not understand the object rather than claiming it is a percussion instrument. None of it makes sense. And if the menat really were a musical instrument, why do we see it worn around the neck like an actual necklace?

A so-called musical instrument that would fall apart at the slightest attempt at actual use is completely illogical and absurd. And how could one even imagine that the sound the object might produce could be heard by anyone, given the lack of a resonance chamber or kettledrums? "Absurd" is truly the word that immediately comes to mind when one takes a real interest, and one must emphasize that word "real", in the menat necklace.

Once again, egyptologists are falling into the trap set by the ancient Egyptians: that of taking ancient Egyptian religion literally. Yes, the menat had to be shaken. Not because it was a musical instrument, but because a wick trimmer, while designed to cut a candle wick, is also designed to catch the severed fragment. The tool is engineered so that, upon closing, a raised ring forms, enclosing the cut wick tip within the small cup created by that ring. Naturally, once removed from the candle, the wick trimmer must be shaken to dislodge the small piece of debris from the cup. That is why the menat had to be shaken.

You will also notice that the menat is often described as a counterweight, and this is true. The menat does not represent the entire wick trimmer; it represents the cutting mechanism and its catch-cup, not the long handle held by the fingers. Technically, one can indeed view this cutting section as a counterweight.

Note also the position of the menat at the back of the goddess Hathor; it seems odd, but the intention is not actually to show the menat on her back, but rather to demonstrate that the tool must be used vertically and must reach deep into the heart of the candle to cut the wick.

Chefbee Candle Wick Trimmer | Our Point Of View. WTI (0.50): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfIbY30FaR8

Bas-relief depicting the cow-and-eye goddess Hathor with Seti I, with the Menat necklace. Musée du Louvre, numéro principal: N 124: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010009693

66.48  Hathor is gifting the Pharaoh cycles of eternal life

Now that we grasp the true significance of the menat, we can understand the real meaning behind the famous scene depicting Hathor offering the menat beaded necklace to Seti I, and the hourglass serves as a perfect illustration of this concept. There are real constraints involved in using a candle; we have just seen how the "tunneling effect" dictates a candle's lifespan, but there is another, even more critical constraint for prolonged use: the need to extinguish the candle roughly every four hours, let it cool, and trim the wick before relighting it.

A candle used intensively operates in cycles, with each cycle requiring the wick to be trimmed; thus, when Hathor offers the menat necklace, composed of all those small wick trimmings, she is essentially gifting the Pharaoh cycles of life. The scene’s underlying meaning is, therefore, likely the gift of eternal life to the Pharaoh.

“For an optimal candle-burning experience, we recommend trimming your wick at least every 4 hours of burn time. In other words, if you like to burn your candles for long periods of time, set a timer for 4 hours to remind you to trim your candle wicks.” Candle Care 101: How To Trim Candle Wicks the Right Way:

https://www.harlemcandleco.com/blogs/journal/candle-care-101-how-to-trim-candle-wicks-the-right-way

The flow of sand in an hourglass can be used to keep track of elapsed time. S Sepp : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Physics/Selected_article/August_2010#/media/File:Wooden_hourglass_3.jpg

Necklace counterpoise with aegis of Sakhmet. “At the top of this menat, or necklace counterpoise, is the head of a lion-headed goddess, wearing a broad collar and crowned with a sun disk. A relief scene showing a lion-headed goddess seated on a throne and holding a papyrus scepter decorates the menat’s center section. This part is flanked on each side by a cobra wearing the Upper Egyptian crown. The bottom section features a rosette.” New Kingdom, Ramesside, ca. 1300–1080 BCE. Object Number: 23.6.54: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/548327

66.49  The metaphor of the compass

In French, the two angle-measuring instruments, the protractor and the compass, are both called "compas," because they essentially perform the same function. The ancient Egyptians, through the menat, also played with the idea that the protractor and the compass were one and the same; rather than depicting the extension of the wick trimmer, the part that continues beyond the cutting part that is the menat, in its true form (as was their custom), they chose to playfully allude to it in a coded manner.

The extension of the wick trimmer begins at a pivot and branches out into two distinct arms; in other words, the design of this missing section of the tool bears a striking resemblance to a compass. Instead of depicting the compass itself, they represented a coded version of it: the protractor.

This is why the end of the menat often features what is known as an "aegis," which is nothing other than that very protractor. [illustration of the wick trimmer] https://elementtreeessentials.com/products/wick-trimmers

66.50  The small bits of candle wick snipped off by the wick trimmer are right there before your eyes; also present are the tool's two long stems and its two large loops, the "goddess's eyes", where you insert your fingers

It is not the first time that the ancient Egyptians, if only for a moment, or through one particular artifact that stands out from the rest, have come close to abandoning their fierce determination to offer almost no real clues regarding the deciphering of their art. The menat presented here by National Museums Liverpool is one such artifact; once you understand that the menat is truly about the wick trimmer, everything you would expect to find is indeed present.

As the following artifact clearly demonstrates, the round section of the menat, the roundel, represents the closed jaws of a wick trimmer, positioned just above the small pool of liquid wax produced by a burning candle; if Hathor is depicted traveling across this roundel in a barque, it is precisely because, from a certain perspective, one can indeed speak of a "lake" of wax. Look closely at the interior of the roundel on the National Museums Liverpool menat, and you will easily recognize a few short wicks ready to be trimmed.

This artifact is unique because those small wick fragments, precisely the ones severed by the tool, have also been reproduced by those curious papyrus tufts that seem to come from nowhere, as they should be, outside the cutting zone, that is, outside the roundel itself. The wick trimmer also consists of two long rods used to operate the tool's jaws, and you should have no trouble spotting these as well. What is missing, then, to make the "transcription" of the tool into this "amulet" perfect? ​​The two finger loops, of course. Well, they are there: the large depiction of the goddess at the very top of the menat has two large eyes. Artifacts of this type are generally crafted on both sides, and this is undoubtedly the case for this particular piece. So there are two "eyes," of the goddess because two finger loops need to be shown.

Necklace Counterpoise (Menat). 1390 BC - 1295 BC about. “Decorative counterpoise (menat). Originally suspended from a necklace by the ring at the top that is now broken. Openwork design with chased details on flat bronze. Representation of a lion goddess's head in profile (Sekhmet or Bastet) with the body being depicted as a shrine, inside which stands a full-length figure of the lion-heded goddess who wears a sun-disc on her head, that would suggest the image is Sekhmet. The roundel below has traditional block border and contains five papyrus plants. Two papyrus plants reach out from above the roundel and touch the sides of the shrine. In places there are signs of the original polychrome appearance of the metal. Late 18th Dynasty.” National Museums Liverpool. Accession number: 1987.408: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/necklace-counterpoise-menat

66.51  The papyrus plants are the wicks of the candle

Let us pause for a moment to consider the "papyrus plants" inside the roundel, for the Egyptians certainly did not choose papyrus by chance. When a candle has been burning for some time, there comes a point when the wick absolutely must be trimmed, regardless of how long it has been since the last trim. This moment occurs when the tip of the wick takes on the appearance of a mushroom, a phenomenon known as "mushrooming", which naturally has detrimental effects on the quality of the combustion. It is highly likely that the Egyptians chose papyrus because its large, umbrella-like top bears a striking resemblance to a mushroom.

Take a close look at the papyrus plants on the two menats shown here; beyond the fact that they resemble mushrooms, what the Egyptians also intended to illustrate is that a candle wick can actually assume any position ranging from perfectly vertical to completely tilted.

“Menat counterweight with figures of Hathor as a woman and a cow”. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Object Number: 51.157.2: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/548610

"Study of a man using an auger, from The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin", by Albrecht Dürer, c. 1496.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_auger#/media/File:ADurerAugerBayonne.jpg   [Was scepter]  Metropolitan Museumof Art, New-York. Photograph by Joan Lansberry: http://www.joanlansberry.com/setfind/nk-was.html

66.52  The Was scepter is about the central pivot of the tool

One last thing. A wick trimmer is, after all, nothing more than a pair of somewhat extravagantly shaped scissors; yet it functions solely thanks to a central pivot around which the two cutting blades rotate. So, what element represents this pivot? It is the Was scepter held by the goddess, which merges with one of the two vertical shafts. The Was scepter does not glorify the pivot itself, as I demonstrated in Chapter 34, but rather the tool the ancient Egyptians used for piercing. That is why the Was scepter is depicted here; while it is barely visible on the specimen at the National Museums Liverpool, it appears very frequently, and much more clearly, on other examples.

Assyrian Relief of the Banquet of Ashurbanipal From Nineveh Gypsum N Palace British Museum. Photo Allan Gluck

66.53  The menat necklace is made of nothing but scraps, mere crumbs

You will have gathered, then, that the famous string of beads so often accompanying the menat is ultimately nothing more than a representation of a great many candle-wick trimmings, all lined up to form a sort of "tally" or record of the tool's effectiveness, while also symbolizing a succession of cycles and the passage of time.

Yet, in the end, the necklace is composed merely of scraps. And precisely because the menat's bead necklace represents these trimmings, it could easily be used on its own, without the menat, just as the menat itself could be depicted without these cut-off fragments. This very concept is echoed in the banquet scene shown in the extraordinary Assyrian bas-relief pictured here. I am not sure how historians characterize this banquet, but one thing is certain: the presence of a menat necklace at the bottom right of the central figure's couch is due precisely to the nature of these scraps. Naturally, in the context of a banquet, where people might tend to overindulge, the "scraps" in question are mealtime crumbs. Look to the right of the necklace and you will see napkins; beneath it, ready to catch all those crumbs, sits nothing other than a trash bin with its lid open.

66.54  The reality is that we know almost nothing about that period

Yes, they wrote, painted, and sculpted, but almost everything they've done that has come down to us is tied to that religion, and therefore everything is encoded. The ancient Egyptians did not boast about building the Great Pyramids; they left behind neither construction blueprints nor details of the methods used. And here we are, in 2026, still debating the hypothesis that they used internal ramps rather than external ones! If the Egyptians were determined not to reveal how they built these great pyramids, it was precisely because they had absolutely no intention of doing so. It was part of their technological expertise and engineering know-how, and sharing that information with anyone was simply out of the question. The reality is that, just as with everything else, the Egyptians likely revealed exactly how they went about it, albeit in code, somewhere within their religion. It is up to us to find where that information is hidden and to decipher the riddles.

[illustration] The remaining first course casing stones and platform at the north side of the Great Pyramid. Source: Harry Pollard 1925-1926. From "The Design Principle of the Egyptian Pyramids": https://www.academia.edu/91203059/The_Design_Principle_of_the_Egyptian_Pyramids

Conclusion: to summarize this essential chapter of The Pyramids of the Cold, I believe the image opposite is undoubtedly the most fitting. In reality, the ancient Egyptians did not stop at glorifying their knowledge, regardless of the field, or seeking legitimacy and political gain by displaying it; they also sought to place themselves within a greater whole, contributing their part to the world they inhabited. In particular, many of the deities created from scratch solely to encode information likely served as a way to express gratitude toward the world around them. The ancient Egyptians did not view themselves as superior to nature, but rather as one of its components; through these deities, they conveyed a genuine sense of respect and love.

It was neither by chance nor by whim that Hathor was both a cow goddess and a tree goddess. The ancient Egyptians likely saw her primarily as the provider of the fat used to make the majority of the candles that accompanied them day and night. Yet, she was also a tree goddess because some of those candles were made from wax derived from the era's "wax tree", the famous ished tree, or Tree of Life. Hathor embodied both forms because the people relied on the light and warmth derived from both the tree and the cow. Thus, the ancient Egyptians did not live in opposition to nature, as is often the case in our own time, but clearly lived in harmony with it, worshipping their cows for this very reason.

Cow Appreciation Day, featuring Megan and her steer. Photograph taken in July 16, 2026. Molly's Custom Silver: https://www.facebook.com/mollyscustomsilver/photos/cow-appreciation-day-featuring-megan-and-her-steerthank-you-for-participating-in/1446378237521948/

Preface

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Table of contents

Operating diagrams of the Great Pyramid

Timelines

Index