In Egyptian mythology, Menhit (also spelt Menchit) was originally a foreign war goddess. Her name depicts a warrior status, as it means (she who) massacres. When included among the Egyptian deities, she became the female counterpart of Anhur. It was said that she had come from Nubia with Anhur who had been her counterpart and husband there. Due to the aggressive attributes possessed by and hunting methods used by lionesses, most things connected to warfare in Egypt were depicted as leonine, and Menhit was no exception, being depicted as a lioness-goddess.