| Nekhbet | |||||||
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.svg) Illustration of Nekhbet with outstretched wings wearing anAtef crown and holding both shen rings and plumed scepters, based on depictions from antiquity. | |||||||
| Name inhieroglyphs |
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| Major cult center | Nekheb | ||||||
| Symbol | Vulture | ||||||
Nekhbet (/ˈnɛkˌbɛt/;[1] also speltNekhebet) is an earlypredynastic localgoddess inEgyptian mythology, who was the patron of the city ofNekheb (her name meaningof Nekheb). Ultimately, she became the patron ofUpper Egypt and one of the two patron deities (alongsideWadjet) for all ofAncient Egypt when it was unified.[2]
One of Egypt's earliesttemples was the shrine of Nekhbet at Nekheb (also referred to as El Kab). It was the companion city toNekhen, the religious and political capital of Upper Egypt, at the end of thePredynastic period (c. 3200–3100 BC) and probably, also during theEarly Dynastic Period (c. 3100–2686 BC).[2] The original settlement on the Nekhen site dates fromNaqada I or the lateBadarian cultures. At its height, from about 3400 BC, Nekhen had at least 5,000 and possibly as many as 10,000 inhabitants.
Nekhbet was thetutelary deity of Upper Egypt. Nekhbet and herLower Egyptian counterpart Wadjet often appeared together as the "Two Ladies". One of thetitles of each ruler was theNebty name, which began with the hieroglyphs for[s/he] of the Two Ladies....[2]
In art, Nekhbet was depicted as a vulture.Alan Gardiner identified the species that was used in divine iconography as agriffon vulture. Arielle P. Kozloff, however, argues that the vultures inNew Kingdom art, with their blue-tipped beaks and loose skin, better resemble thelappet-faced vulture.[3]
In New Kingdom times, the vulture appeared alongside theuraeus on the headdresses with which kings were buried. The uraeus and vulture are traditionally interpreted as Wadjet and Nekhbet, but Edna R. Russmann has suggested that in this context they representIsis andNephthys, two major funerary goddesses, instead.[4]
Nekhbet usually was depicted hovering, with her wings spread above the royal image, clutching ashen symbol (representing eternal encircling protection), frequently in her claws.[2]
Depictions of animal deities start with the animal being depicted directly. Later the animal appears in human form, but still with an animal head. Individual deities continue into historical times (post 3000 BC) to often be described in their original animal form: e.g.,Horus (Falcon),Wadjet (cobra) and Nekhbet (vulture).[5]
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Media related toNekhbet at Wikimedia CommonsAuthority control databases: National |
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