Shuti hieroglyph (two-feather adornment)

Vulture cap referred to an ancient Egyptian head costume in the form of a Geierbalgs, which was probably made ​​of gold leaf on fabric.

History

The vulture cap belonged initially to the iconography of the goddesses Nekhbet and courage. From Nechbet she was transferred to the Lower Egyptian goddess Uto protection, in which the vulture is often replaced by a snake head. Nekhbet and Uto appear already in the Old Kingdom in human form with vulture cap and three-part locks or gods wig.

Wig and vulture cap are transferred to the iconography of the king 's wives from the 4th Dynasty and since the time of Pepi I ( 6th Dynasty ) are the latest to their integral part. So, for example, carries Iput I., wife of Teti II and mother of Pepi I., a vulture cap with vulture head while watching the royal consort Neith (daughter of Pepi I. and wife of Pepi II ) of a vulture and uraeus.

In the Middle Kingdom the king's wives wear almost exclusively a worm wig. A unique exception is the statuette of Sobeknofru from the 12th dynasty. This shows an unusual striated wig, squatting over the two vultures circle with outstretched wings, between which overcomes a uraeus.

Since the New Kingdom then a combination is carried out Hathorperücke and vulture head. The position of the vulture cap forms an important iconographic dating criterion. End of the 17th and beginning of the 18th dynasty it sits on the top of the head as it travels on the back of the head from the middle of the 18th Dynasty. In conjunction with other crowns the vulture cap now also appears on the main various goddesses ( Meret ) and God's Wives.