Goddess Nekhbet Scenes on Royal Monuments during the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties

El-Shamy, Saraa; Ibrahim, Osama; Hassan, Taher; Shaikh Al Arab, Walid

doi:10.21608/ijhth.2019.35114

Goddess Nekhbet Scenes on Royal Monuments during the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

10.21608/ijhth.2019.35114

Abstract

Nekhbet was an early Predynastic local divinity in the Egyptian mythology. Her ancient Egyptian
name meant She of Nekheb, she was the patron deity of the city of Nekheb. Ultimately, she
became the tutelary deity of Upper Egypt and one of the two patron deities for all of Ancient
Egypt when it was unified. Nekhbet and her Lower Egyptian counterpart Wadjet often appeared
together as the Nebty name which meant [he/she] of the Two Ladies. It is one of the five titles of
each ruler. This study aims to shed more light on the cult of goddess Nekhbet throughout her
names, titles and iconographies appeared on royal monuments during the fifth and sixth
dynasties. Geographical epithets of Nekhebet were the most common and important ones,
especially those that connected with the IIIth Nome of Upper Egypt and its capital, Nekhen.
Nekhbet beard several epithets which show her relationship with Upper Egypt and its principal
sanctuary. Nekhbet attained epithets that refered to her mighty character «Awt-a:with outstretched
wings » and « 8mAt-pD(w)t: Stretcher of Bows ».

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