Egyptian mythology
Sistrum
A sacred rattle shaken in the temples of Hathor and Isis, whose sound was believed to drive away evil and invoke the gods.
- Myths
- The Distant Goddess · The Eye of Ra
The sistrum was a sacred rattle shaken in the temples of Hathor and Isis, whose sound was believed to drive away evil and invoke the gods. Metal discs jingled on its crossbars, and its handle often bore Hathor's face. Priestesses shook it to soothe the goddess, and Plutarch writes that its rattling drove off Typhon, the Greek name for Seth.
Ihy, son of Hathor, was its divine player, and it also served the cults of Bastet, Mut and Isis, whose worship carried it to Rome. In The Distant Goddess, sistra greet Hathor's return, and in The Eye of Ra Thoth recalls their sound to lure her home.
Quick questions
What is Sistrum?
A sacred rattle shaken in the temples of Hathor and Isis, whose sound was believed to drive away evil and invoke the gods.
Which mythology does Sistrum belong to?
Sistrum belongs to Egyptian mythology.
Who owns Sistrum?
Hathor owns Sistrum.
Who wields Sistrum?
In the myths, Bastet, Ihy, Isis, and Mut wield Sistrum.
Which myths feature Sistrum?
The myths that feature Sistrum are “The Distant Goddess” and “The Eye of Ra”.
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