| Heka | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plural: Hekau | ||||||
"Magic" | ||||||
| Period of worship |
Old Kingdom – ? | |||||
| Cult center | Latopolis | |||||
| Association | magic, medicine | |||||
| Appearance | Anthropoid | |||||
| Father | Khnum | |||||
| Mother | Neith | |||||
Heka or Hekau is the ancient Egyptian word for magic and medicine, which was personified by a deity. According to Egyptian literature (Coffin text, spell 261), Heka existed "before duality had yet come into being". The term ḥkꜣ was also used to refer to the practice of magical rituals.
Original Medicine God[]
Way back in ancient Egypt, Heka was attacked by 2 Snakes, he killed the snakes and that is where we get the snakes on the Medical symbol from. He is the son of Khnum and Neith. He also is thought of as a god of magic before science could explain everything. Even though there are no temples that worship him, the doctors are sometimes called the "priests of Heka."