Serket

Selket (also Serqet, Selqet, Serket, Serket - Hetit, Serket - hetet, Selkis or Selqis ) is a goddess in Egyptian mythology. She is the patron goddess of the healers and along with Isis, Neith and Nephthys one of the four protective goddesses of the Sons of Horus guarding the coffins and canopic jars.

Representation

The most common representation of Selket is that of a standing woman with a scorpion on her head, which is why it is also known as a scorpion goddess. In the aspect as a protective goddess of the canopic coffinettes Kebechsenuef she stands with outstretched arms, to hug and to shield. As divine mother Selket other hand, is shown completely different: a woman's body armed with lion or crocodile head and with knives. Grave scenes they show not only in anthropomorphic form, but also as a Scorpio, Leo or to rearing cobra.

Name

Selket goes back to an old volume translation of the hieroglyphic writing. It is now but believe that the debate Serket comes at the time of the Pharaohs and in the next about " the leaves breathe " means. " Serket - Hetit " is based on a representation apparently older form of the name. " Hetit " is here translated as " throat ", so that the name of the goddess then " those who can breathe the throat " is. The term " Selket " was finally adopted as the spelling of Greek texts into other languages.

Importance

Selket is from the Delta, and it can already be found in the 1st dynasty evidence of worship of this goddess. Mention it is also used as one of the divine mothers in the Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom, where it is called as mother of the serpent god Nehebkau and in this context " the king nourishing ". She is the patron goddess of the healers, as they defeated bites and stings of poisonous animals, especially the scorpions, and heals. In addition, Selket also combats Apophis.

Further mention is Selket in the mythological tale of the birth of the god Horus, in which it is together with the goddess Isis, Nephthys to the side after the child God had been stung by a scorpion. Along with Isis, Neith and Nephthys is one of the four protective goddesses of the Sons of Horus. They protected the canopic coffinettes of Kebechsenuef, in the intestines of the deceased are kept. Probably Selket is therefore also in a ancient Egyptian text as " Nebet -per- nefer ", referred to as " mistress of the beautiful house ", which marked the place of embalming (House of embellishment ).