Qetesh

Qetesh

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Qetesh

Stele of Qetesh

In Egyptian mythology and Canaanite religion, Qetesh (also Qadesh, Quetesh, Kadesh, Qatesh, Qadeshet, Qudshu, Qodesh) referred to a Goddess or Goddesses of Love and Beauty (rather than fertility), who is thought to have originally been a Semitic divinity, from Canaanite religion, adopted into the Egyptian pantheon at a later date. Her husband may have been the god Resheph, identified with Nergal in Mesopotamian mythology, who was introduced in the Middle Kingdom. Having been adopted into Egyptian belief, it was decided that Qetesh, as the goddess of sex, should be the mother of Min, the god of fertility and thus sexual prowess. Although she was a popular goddess, she eventually became considered an aspect of Hathor, who had by that time become a goddess of pleasure.

She may also have been a title given to Asherah.

She was depicted as a naked woman standing on a lion, with the crescent moon (representing the night) on her head. Also, she was shown holding snakes (representing the penis) in her right hand and lotus flowers (representing the vulva) in her left.