From the early periods of Egyptian history, ducks formed a part of the Ancient Egyptian diet, easily hunted on the marshlands of the Nile, which formed a natural habitat for waterfowl, and, over time, were domesticated. As well as serving as a popular food source, the duck was often featured in Egyptian art in various forms, including amulets, cosmetic jars, perfume bottles, and tomb ceilings. In combination with the bird itself, amulets of ducks, were also buried with the dead, perhaps as a symbol of the awakening tied to rebirth and the afterlife in Egyptian religion, or as a representation of a duck prepared for feasting to sustain the dead. The trussed duck also appears as a determinative hieroglyphic symbol, translated as ‘offer’. Additionally, it has been suggested that the duck was a symbol of fertility and renewal, and their offerings were believed to bring blessings of abundance.
Hathor was the ancient Egyptian goddess of beauty, sensuality, music, dancing, maternity, and the mother of Horus, the god of the sky, and Ra, the sun god. She is typically depicted with the head, the ears, or a headdress of a cow or lion, and occasionally depicted as a cow. Associated with royalty, the Egyptian kings were sometimes depicted as suckling from the goddess. On scarabs, she is often associated with the sistrum and appears frontally with a headdress. In Egyptian iconography, this is often seen as a tall striated element, whilst Canaanite depictions include additional plumage. It is also common to see uraei flanking her profile.
