| Igai | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 The deity Igai | |||
| Name inhieroglyphs |
| ||
| Major cult center | Western Desert (Egypt) | ||
Igai was a lesser deity associated with theoases of Egypt'sWestern Desert, bearing the title “the Lord of the Oasis.” Igai is portrayed in human form, with twowas-sceptres that spell out his name on his head.[1]
Igai is mentioned in Egyptian sources as early as theThird Dynasty, and was an important god inDakhleh Oasis during theOld Kingdom.[2] TheMiddle Kingdom was the golden age of the cult of Igai, providing the great majority of attestations. From the Middle Kingdom onwards, the main urban centre devoted to the cult of the god in theNew Valley was the 19thNome of Upper Egypt.[1]
There are few artefacts documenting the cult of Igai; outside the oases, the name ofIgai is written in a graffito from the funerary temple ofNiuserre (Fifth Dynasty) atAbusir.[3]
Set and Igai are the only deities identified with the epithet ‘Lord of the Oasis’.[4]
The dinosaurIgai semkhu ("Forgotten Lord of the Oasis") is named after Igai; it was discovered in the part of the Egyptian desert now known as theKharga Oasis, and belongs to theCampanian age of the Late Cretaceous period.[5]
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