Nekhbet
Nekhbet | |
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Nekheb | |
Symbol | Vulture |
Nekhbet (
Mythology
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One of Egypt's earliest
Nekhbet was the tutelary deity of Upper Egypt. Nekhbet and her Lower Egyptian counterpart Wadjet often appeared together as the "Two Ladies". One of the titles of each ruler was the Nebty name, which began with the hieroglyphs for [s/he] of the Two Ladies....[2]
Iconography
In art, Nekhbet was depicted as a vulture.
In New Kingdom times, the vulture appeared alongside the uraeus 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 represent Isis and Nephthys, two major funerary goddesses, instead.[4]
Nekhbet usually was depicted hovering, with her wings spread above the royal image, clutching a shen 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]
Gallery
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Nekhbet with outstretched wings below a row of uraei, from themortuary temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari
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Paintings of Nekhbet on the ceiling of the mortuary temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu
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Nekhbet above the Nomen and prenomen of Ramesses III
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Nekhbet next to Haremakhet on a column
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A painted relief depicting Nekhbet in theTemple of Hatshepsut
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Nekhbet holding a staff and Shen ring
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A painted relief depicting Nekhbet in Queen Hatshepsut's temple
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Relief from the Temple of Nekhbet at El Kab
In popular culture
- Nekhbet is a bird-like monster in Final Fantasy XII.
- Nekhbet appears in Rick Riordan's The Throne of Fire as a minor antagonist.
- Nekhbet is the name of a pet vulture in the Tenshi ni Narumon.
References
- ^ "Nekhbet". Dictionary.com. Random House. 2012.
- ^ a b c d Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. pp. 213–214
- ^ Bailleul-LeSuer, Rozenn (ed), Between Heaven and Earth: Birds in Ancient Egypt. The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. pp. 61–62, 138
- ^ Robins, Gay, Review of The Animal World of the Pharaohs and Choice Cuts: Meat Production in Ancient Egypt. Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 119, no. 1, (January–March 1999)
- ^ Christiansen, S. U.2023 What do the Figurines of ”Bird Ladies” in Predynastic Egypt represent? (OAJAA)
Further reading
- Hans Bonnet: Nechbet. In: Lexikon der ägyptischen Religionsgeschichte. Nikol, Hamburg 2000, ISBN 3-937872-08-6, S. 507f.
- ISBN 3-447-04027-0, S. 199.
- ISBN 978-87-635-0406-5.
- Alexandra von Lieven: Der Himmel über Esna – Eine Fallstudie zur religiösen Astronomie in Ägypten am Beispiel der kosmologischen Decken- und Architravinschriften im Tempel von Esna. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2000, ISBN 3-447-04324-5.
- Marcelle Werbrouck, Fouilles de El Kab II. 1940, S. 46ff.