Ihy was the god of music and the sistrum in ancient Egyptian religion.
He was usually portrayed as a child holding a sistrum, a sacred rattle used in Egyptian religious ceremonies. Ihy represented the joy, excitement, and ecstatic sound produced by playing the instrument, making him especially connected with music, celebration, and ritual performance.
Ihy was strongly associated with Hathor, the goddess of music, dance, joy, and motherhood. In the best-known tradition, he was Hathor’s son and Horus’s child, although Egyptian myths could assign different parents to him. His name may refer to a sistrum player or to the sound of the instrument itself.
Ihy’s principal cult center was Dendera, where he formed a divine family group with Hathor and Horus. He is sometimes confused with Hathor because of their close association, or with Bes, another Egyptian deity linked to entertainment and music. The distinction is that Ihy’s defining symbol is the sacred sistrum.