Hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 are one of my favorite animals and I was so excited to see them so close on the animal trails at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 are on of my favorite animals not only because of ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, but also because of the blue hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 on “It’s a Small World.”
Fun fact: hippos 𓐍𓃀𓃯𓏦 actually don’t swim much in the water 𓈗 – they like to walk along the bottom of bodies of water 𓈗! Why? Swimming expends too much energy!
The hippopotamus 𓐍𓃀𓃯 is one of the animals that appears frequently in Egyptian imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 starting from the predynastic period! This is because the people of the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 needed to always be on their guard in regards to hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 since they could dominate both the land 𓇾𓇾 and the water 𓈗.
Hippos 𓂧𓃀𓃯𓏦 are indigenous to the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺, unfortunately though, they are now extinct in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. Just like animal species today, human expansion into habitats also played a role in population decline during ancient times.
Even as ancient Egyptian culture evolved over thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of years, Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 both feared and revered 𓇋𓌴𓄪 hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 due to their strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and power. While hippos 𓂧𓃀𓃯𓏦 were the most feared animals along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺, images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 of them could offer protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜, such as in the form of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪!
Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 is a fierce Egyptian goddess 𓊹𓏏 who is associated with childbirth. Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 is always represented as a pregnant hippopotamus 𓂧𓇋𓃀𓃯 and was a household deity – she didn’t have any temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 dedicated to her specifically!
Here are some ways you can write hippopotamus in hieroglyphs:
𓌉𓏏𓃯
𓐍𓃀𓃯
𓂧𓃀𓃯
𓂧𓇋𓃀𓃯
𓃯𓏺
I hope you’re enjoying my “Ancient Egypt in Disney” series! Next time you’re in Disney, be sure to check out the Hippos at Animal Kingdom! They can be found on the animal trails and also on the ride Kilimanjaro Safari!
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.