Are Heka and Hekate the same deity? Are their names cognates or related in some way? What are the origins of their names, and how do these etymologies inform our understanding of their roles in their respective mythologies?

This episode is going to explore the potential relationship between the ancient Egyptian concept and deity Heka and the ancient Greek goddess Hekate. Through an examination of their etymologies, roles in their respective mythologies, and the cultural interactions between ancient Egypt and Greece, we assess whether a connection between Heka and Hekate exists.

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Let the Symposium begin…

Hello symposiast, I’m Dr Angela Puca – Religious Studies PhD and this is your online resource for the academic study of magic, esotericism, Paganism, shamanism and all things occult.

On both my videos on Hekate and the ones on Heka I’ve got many questions in the comments asking whether there is a relation between the two and so I thought I’d do some research for you guys and make a video to answer this question.

My research was more complicated than I anticipated, and I found a specific paper that really surprised me that will probably surprise you too!

So, let’s see what I found out. References are on screen as usual and the reference list and bibliography are in the info box.

Heka, the ancient Egyptian god and concept of magic as well as spiritual power, and Hekate, the ancient Greek goddess associated with crossroads, entranceways, witchcraft, and sorcery, have intrigued scholars and researchers alike due to the seemingly magical nature of both entities.

Let’s analyse the etymology and meaning of both names, now.

The problem, though, is that in both cases we don’t have a clear and definite etymology but speculations and hypotheses regarding the origin and meaning of both Heka and Hekate.

Indeed, Heka’s etymology is uncertain. Some have regarded it as a compound that means “smiting the kas (or, “vital essences”); the Egyptians themselves seem to have treated it that way as a pun. It can be (perhaps more plausibly?) analysed as an intensifying (?) prefix (h) attached to a form of the root of ka (“vital essence”). This word is attested as early as the Old Kingdom Pyramid Texts and as late as Coptic, where it takes the form hik. (Meyer, 1999, pp. 14–15)

mong other meanings, Heka can be understood as the power or energy that drives the manifestation of magic or supernatural abilities.

As for the origin of the name Hekate (Ἑκάτη in Greek), that’s also uncertain. One interpretation suggests it comes from the Greek word “hekatos” (ἕκατος), meaning “far-shooting” or “far-reaching,” possibly referring to Hekate’s wide range of powers and domains. Another possibility is that the name Hekate is derived from the Greek word “hekas” (ἕκας), meaning “far off” or “remote,” emphasizing her liminal qualities as a goddess who can move between the realms of the living and the dead and traverse distant boundaries.

Now, most scholars either deem the two names and related entities as separate or don’t even address this comparison. Being part of two very different cultures, they tend to each be studied within their own academic field.

What surprised me was finding one paper that actually related to Heka and Hekate.

That’s what Wise – an interesting surname in this context! – states,

“The Egyptian word heka is the etymological precursor of the Greek mageia or magic. Bernal shows how the Egyptian heka is the probable origin of the Greek word for hundred, which is hekaton, but also the old crone goddess of magic Hekate. Bernal’s suggestion that heka is the etymon of the Greek numeral hekaton is compelling in part because it implies a connection with the measuring scale of the jackal Annubis. What all of these terms share is the common root ka from the Egyptian heka which may be the etymological antecedent of the Greek psyche”

(Wise, 2006, pp. 26–27)

This Bernal that he’s mentioning here is Martin Bernal, author of “Black Athena,” a controversial book that suggests that ancient Greek civilization had significant influence from North African and West Asian neighbours. Bernal argues that a shift in Western perception of Greece began in the 18th century, leading to a denial of these external influences by Western academia. However, scholars criticise the lack of archaeological or historical evidence for this theory, Bernal’s reliance on Greek mythology, and his handling of data. The book has also been accused of perpetuating racism and having political motives.

So, this is an example of how important it is to understand and critically evaluate studies against the body of available literature.

But if there isn’t much-substantiated evidence about a link between Heka and Hecate, there are scholars who highlight the link between Heka and the Greek word from which the English magic derives, Mageia.

Tatomir explains that The Pharaonic concept of HkA(w), the lexical ancestor of the Coptic (hik), along with its inseparable divine “personification” @kA (Heka) are attested from the Old Kingdom until the Roman times, the last mention of the god being contemporary with the Coptic formula that related to mageia, magic in Ancient Greek. (Tatomir, 2012, p. 120)

Interesting to appreciate the relation between Heka and Mageia, which is highlighted by a few scholars, while I haven’t come across any academic study claiming that Hekate and Heka are cognates other than the one mentioned by Wise whose only source for his claim seems to be a highly controversial and disputed work.

Now let’s look at the mythological roles of both deities.

Heka, both a force and deity in ancient Egyptian religion, played a crucial role in the creation of the world and the maintenance of cosmic order. The god Heka was believed to have been present at the creation of the world, assisting the sun god Ra. As a magical power, Heka enabled gods and humans to perform supernatural acts and protect the living and the dead.

Hekate, in ancient Greek religion, was a liminal goddess associated with crossroads, entranceways, witchcraft, and sorcery. She held the ability to move between the realms of the living and the dead and was often invoked in magical practices. Hekate was also known for her torch-bearing, dog-accompanying iconography.

Even in their mythological attributions, we can see that – other than the association with magic – there isn’t much that Heka and Hekate have in common.

So, what can we conclude?

Despite the magical nature of both Heka and Hekate, there is no strong evidence to suggest that they are directly related or cognate. Their etymologies are distinct, with Heka originating from the ancient Egyptian language and Hekate from the ancient Greek language. Their mythological roles and attributes are also different, and the similarities between the two seem to be coincidental or due to cultural exchange and syncretism between ancient Egyptian and Greek societies.

Moreover, there is no scholarly consensus on a direct relationship between the two concepts, names and deities. While some researchers have explored the potential connections between Heka and Hekate, they have not found any strong evidence that links the two in a substantial way.

In conclusion, based on the available evidence, it appears unlikely that Heka and Hekate are related or cognate. Their similarities can be attributed to the cultural interactions between ancient Egypt and Greece, as well as the natural development of supernatural and magical elements within their respective mythologies. Future research may benefit from a broader examination of magical deities and concepts across various ancient cultures to better understand the development and transmission of these ideas over time. Because, let’s be frank, we all need more academic study on magic right? In any shape and form and certainly about Heka and Hekate. Leave me a torch emoji in the comments if you agree!

So, what’s your take and what are your thoughts about the relationship between Heka and Hekate? Are you familiar with any academic source that might support a link between the two?

Let me know in the comments.

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References:

Meyer, M. W. (1999) Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power, Princeton University Press.

Tatomir, R. (2012) ‘Speaking the language of diversity. Heka and Mageia and their practitioners in late antiquity.’, Transdisciplinary Studies, vol. 2, pp. 117–130.

Wise, C. (2006) ‘Nyama and Heka: African concepts of the word’, Comparative Literature Studies, Penn State University Press, vol. 43, no. 1/2, pp. 19–38.



Bibliography

Bricault, L., Versluys, M. J., & Meyboom, P. G. P. (2007). Nile into Tiber: Egypt in the Roman World. Proceedings of the IIIrd International Conference of Isis Studies. Brill.

Johnston, S. I. (1990). Hekate Soteira: A Study of Hekate’s Roles in the Chaldean Oracles and Related Literature. Scholars Press.

Meeks, D., & Favard-Meeks, C. (1996). Daily Life of the Egyptian Gods. Cornell University Press.

Pinch, G. (2006). Egyptian Myth: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Von Rudloff, I. R. (1999). Hekate in Ancient Greek Religion. Horned Owl Publishing.