| Werethekau | ||||||
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 Werethekau depicted with the head of a lion | ||||||
| Name inhieroglyphs |
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Werethekau (Egyptian:wrt-ḥk3w "great one of magic, great enchantress"; alternatelyUrthekau,Weret Hekau,Wusa) was anancient Egyptian andancient Nubiandeity. She served as the personification of supernatural powers.[1]
As a deity dedicated to protection, she often appeared on funerary objects, particularly weapons, to allow the deceased to protect him or herself against the dangers of theunderworld. She also was placed on ivory knives as a charm to protect pregnant and nursing mothers.[citation needed]
Her power was one of the inherent qualities of theCrowns of Egypt. As goddess of the crowns she was a snake or a lion-headed woman and dwelt in the state sanctuary.[2] As the wife ofRa-Horakhty she is depicted with his solar disk on her head. Werethekau was an epithet frequently conferred onIsis,[3]Sekhmet,[4]Mut,[5] and others.
