Zahra - This name means "flower" or "blossom" and is associated with beauty, delicacy, and grace. Omissions? In Egyptian mythology, Seshat (also spelled Safkhet, Sesat, Seshet, and Seshata) was the Ancient Egyptian goddess of wisdom, knowledge, and writing.She was seen as a scribe and record keeper, and her name means she who Scrivens (i.e. According to the texts, the king was assisted in this ritual by Seshat (or Sefkhet-Abwy), the scribal goddess of writing and measurement. Later years saw a decline in her being venerated by the Egyptians and she was made into the consort or also sometimes the daughter of the Ibis-headed God Tehuti ( Thoth) who took over more and more of her attributes and power. According to Egyptian literature (Coffin text, spell 261), Heka existed "before duality had yet come into being." The term k3 was also used to refer to the practice of magical rituals. Her name literally means "female scribe" and she is regularly depicted as a woman wearing a leopard skin draped over her robe with a headdress of a seven-pointed star arched by a crescent in the form of a bow. She was seen as a scribe and record keeper; her name means "female scribe". With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. Seshat also appeared in funerary contexts, where, along with Nephthys, she restores the limbs of the deceased. Seshat is an original character in the fanfiction The Record Keeper, but she was based on an actual Egyptian goddess. Serqet, Goddess of Scorpions and Venomous Creatures, Magical Protection and the Afterlife by Caroline Seawright Serqet (Serket, Selqet, Selket, Selkit, Selkis) was the ancient Egyptian scorpion goddess of magic. Among her responsibilities were record keeping, accounting, measurements, census-taking, patroness of libraries and librarians, keeper of the House of Life (temple library, scriptorium, writers workshop), Celestial Librarian, Mistress of builders (patroness of construction), and friend of the dead in the afterlife. Papyrus LansingThe Trustees of the British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA). Note: the Gardiner font reads left-to-right; the Palermo Stone is written opposite: right-to-left. ), Seshat barely appears outside of her official role as the recorder of construction and written projects and did not have a temple or cult dedicated to her. As noted earlier, the two are linked by Their wisdom. Seshat is attested from the Second Dynasty, where she assists King Khasekhemwy with the "stretching the cord" ritual.[1]. script.src = scriptURL; When translated, the name Seshat means female scribe. As noted, although Seshat never had a temple of her own, she was the foundation of the temples constructed in her role as Mistress of Builders and her participation in the ritual ceremony of stretching the cord which measured the dimensions of the structure to be raised. 49. Seth - "To Dazzle" God of chaos; killed Osiris. (Temples, 38). Seshat was believed to be an expert in the art of sighting the stars and planets. Since the gods were thought to literally reside in their temples, this arrangement would be comparable to having a permanent house-guest in ones home who takes care of responsibilities one may value but simply has not time for. Bard, Kathryn (2008) An introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, Budge, E Wallis (1904) The Gods of the Egyptians, Pinch, Geraldine (2002) Handbook Egyptian Mythology, Watterson, Barbara (1996) Gods of Ancient Egypt, Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003) The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. These were located in temples or temple complexes and would have been presided over by Seshat and Thoth no matter which god the temple was dedicated to. [7], The reading is approximately: "YEAR: To create (a) Statue for Seshait, Statue for Mafdet." . Best Answer. [3] Usually, she is shown holding a palm stem, bearing notches to denote the recording of the passage of time, especially for keeping track of the allotment of time for the life of the pharaoh. Her symbols were the ankh, her wings, and her throne headdress. Among Seshat's responsibilities were record keeping, accounting, measurements, census-taking, and patroness of libraries & librarians. As the Mistress of the House of Books, she cared for each scroll with a heap of TLC. Egyptologist Gay Robins explains: In a few New Kingdom scenes, women are depicted with scribal kits under their chairs and it has been suggested that the women were commemorating their ability to read and write. She was also an integral part of the temple through her supervision of the House of Life. A demon with the head of a crocodile, the torso of a leopard, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. Seshat is a very ancient goddess and was often referred to as "The Original One". Golgotha Cross What Is It and What Does It Mean? Seshat is often shown with a palm stem in her hand with notches along it giving the idea of recording the passage of time. In mythology, Seshat was Thoth's sister or daughter then she became his . The members of the institution's staff, all scribes, were considered the learned men of their age. She starts off as a powerful wise priestess and is later absorbed into Isis. She also kept track of tribute owed and tribute paid to the king and, beginning in the New Kingdom (c. 1570-1069 BCE), was closely associated with the pharaoh recording the years of his reign and his jubilee festivals. Goddess Seshat, ca. The cord refers to the masons line which was used to measure out the dimensions of the building. This actually means gold Horus, so Seshat was sometimes associated with Isis. apiKey: 'f97587f900f36918a9a61c58e6050144', AMONG SESHATS RESPONSIBILITIES WERE RECORD KEEPING, ACCOUNTING, MEASUREMENTS, CENSUS-TAKING, AND PATRONESS OF LIBRARIES & LIBRARIANS. She has a wide range of interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Harry Potter and gardening. surmounted by horns. They had a child called Hornub. (Handbook,199). "width": "100%", } Goddess of scorpions: Seshat: Goddess of writing and measurement: Seth: God of chaos/change, deserts, storms, foreigners: Mortal enemy and brother to Osiris, Husband to Nephthys. He killed his brother Osiris because . A relief from the back of the throne of a seated statue of Ramesses II depicting the Egyptian goddess of writing Seshat. Many believe the pointy leaf often shown above the head of the ancient Egyptian idol Seshat, goddess of architecture, astronomy, astrology, and mathematics, was a cannabis leaf. } else { }, The sacred carvings of the Egyptians were so important to them that they dedicated whole sections of temples or temple complexes to a literary institution known as The House of Life. As noted, although Seshat never had a temple of her own, she was the foundation of the temples constructed in her role as Mistress of Builders and her participation in the ritual ceremony of "stretching the cord" which measured the dimensions of the structure to be raised. "background-color": "#ffffff" "price": { Seshat is almost like the 'Egyptian Fairy Godmother' and her magic wand with its seven pointed star was the symbol which represented the source of all creative ideas. She is frequently shown dressed in a cheetah- or leopard-hide, a symbol of funerary priests. Seshat was the ancient Egyptian goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and writing. She is often depicted as the consort (either wife or daughter) of Thoth, god of wisdom, writing, and various branches of knowledge. She Who Scrivens: Write Your Book with the Help of the Egyptian Goddess Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Seshat (Ancient Egyptian: s3t, under various spellings) was the ancient Egyptian goddess of writing, wisdom, and knowledge. World History Encyclopedia. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. Egyptian society was quite conservative and written works generally adhered to a set structure and theme throughout the various periods of history. She was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians for accounting, astronomy, architecture, building . Crescent - This is a later symbol associated with Hecate, and dates from around the Roman times. The written word was considered a sacred art. The spells the soul speaks help one to navigate through assorted dangers to arrive at the perfect paradise of the Field of Reeds. In some . It is used on the obverse, Row III (of VI rows), and is used twice in King Year Record 34, and 40 of King Den. Bunson claims that probably only very important cities could support a Per-Ankh but other scholars, Rosalie David among them, cite evidence that "every sizable town had one" (Handbook, 203). She is often shown offering palm branches (representing many years) to the pharaoh to give him a long reign. Best Price GuaranteeFast On Next Order. Serapis Syncretic god of the afterlife. Goddess Seshat, ca. You may change your settings at any time. Seshat is an Egyptian goddess that has evolved over time. Seshat (also given as Sefkhet-Abwy and Seshet) is the Egyptian goddess of the written word. } A man with the head of a ram, King of the gods, God of the wind. A detail from the Book of the Dead of Aaneru from Thebes, Third Intermediate Period, XXI Dynasty, 1070-946 BCE. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Seshat was the ancient Egyptian goddess of writing, historical records, accounting and mathematics, measurement and architecture to the ancient Egyptians. Only 3 left in stock - order soon. The pattern on the natural hide was thought to represent the stars, being a symbol of eternity, and to be associated with the night sky. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Bastet, goddess of the hearth, home, women's health and secrets, was popular among both men and women and the goddess Hathor was regularly invoked by both at festivals, parties, and family gatherings. Seshat was known by the epithet Mistress of the House of Books because she looked after the library of the gods and was the patron of all earthly libraries. While the symbolism of the seven-pointed star remains unknown, Seshats name Sefkhet-Abwy which means seven-horned, derived from it. Rosalie David writes: It would seem that the House of Life had both a practical use and a deeply religious significance. id: [362048978983], He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. However, she was depicted in a number of other temples and we know that she did have her own priests because Prince Wep-em-nefret (Dynasty Four) was described as Overseer of the Royal Scribes and Priest of Seshat. Serapis, god of knowledge and education. Corrections? Wilkinson notes how by virtue of her role in the foundation ceremony [Seshat] was a part of every temple building (Complete Gods, 167). It is interesting to note that she is the only female character who was actually depicted in the act of writing. Bunsons theory is substantiated by the known structures identified as a Per-Ankh at Amarna, Edfu, and Abydos, all important cities in ancient Egypt, but this does not mean there were not others elsewhere; only that these have not been positively identified as yet. "styles": { Bastet, goddess of the hearth, home, womens health and secrets, was popular among both men and women and the goddess Hathor was regularly invoked by both at festivals, parties, and family gatherings. Credit: Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund - Public Domain. As with most Egyptian goddesses, Seshat is identified by her unique headdress. Her skills were necessary for surveying the land, to re-establish boundary-lines after the annual floods. }, "description": true, Marco was a simple man living his life as a . The Egyptians saw writing as a form of magic, believing that if something could be created in the form of the written word, it could also manifest into the world through the word as a medium, something that holds true for many magical systems to this present day. Its most important function was to provide a means by which certain concepts or events could be brought into existence. To discover her intriguing story, keep reading. In this capacity, the goddess would have helped the new arrival recognize the spells of The Egyptian Book of the Dead, enabling the soul to move on toward the hope of paradise. amzn_assoc_linkid = "4eda58dec7c8b129d359fd25811237dd"; Unlike the major gods of Egypt, Seshat never had her own temples, cult, or formal worship. Who Was Seshat? In the Coffin Texts, a collection of funerary spells written beginning in the First Intermediate Period (c.2181-c.2055), spell 10 states: Seshat opens the door of heaven for you. World History Encyclopedia, 18 Nov 2016. During a new moon he was known as the mighty bull. It is certainly beyond doubt that at least some of the daughters of the king were educated and the position of private tutor to a royal princess could be one of the highest honour. As goddess of life and magic, Isis protected women and children, and healed the sick. The crescent above her headdress, resembling a bow, could represent dexterity and precision, if one interprets it along the lines of archery, or simply divinity if one takes the symbol as representing light, along the lines of later depictions of saints with halos. She also kept a record of the kings allotted life span, writing his name on a different leaf of a Persea tree each year. Egyptologist Gay Robins explains: In a few New Kingdom scenes, women are depicted with scribal kits under their chairs and it has been suggested that the women were commemorating their ability to read and write. If there was a large group of literate women in ancient Egypt, they do not seem to have developed any surviving literary genres unique to themselves. } She was also patron of all forms of writing, including accounting, auditing, and the taking of census. They had a child called Hornub. The ancient Egyptians believed that what was done on earth was mirrored in the celestial realm of the gods. Hecate's wheel - Hecate's wheel features a circle with a maze with three sides. This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Seshat - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). } These depictions usually show the king performing the rite with the help of Seshat, the goddess of writing and measurement, a mythical aspect which reinforced the kings central and unique role in the temple construction (Symbol & Magic, 174). A limestone relief slab depicting Seshat, the Egyptian goddess of writing. "margin-left": "-20px" "@media (min-width: 601px)": { ca. Pharaoh Tuthmosis III (1479 to 1425 BC) referred to her as "she of the seven points". ShopifyBuyInit(); [1] This emblem is the origin of an alternate name for Seshat, Sefkhet-Abwy, which means "seven-horned". } Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Since Seshat was herself a divine female scribe it would make sense that women practiced the art of writing as well as men. GODDESS HATHOR 2 Pages, Egyptian Goddess Magic Correspondences, Hathor Prayer Chant, Egyptian Mythology Cow Deity, Mother Goddess Altar 5 out of 5 stars (11.4k) . var script = document.createElement('script'); Egyptologist Richard H. Wilkinson notes how Seshat appears in reliefs and inscriptions in the Early Dynastic Period as a goddess of measurements and writing, clearly indicating she was already an important deity at that time: Representations show the king involved in a foundation ritual known as stretching the cord which probably took place before work began on the construction of a temple or of any addition. While the Coffin Texts, a collection of funeral spells painted on the walls of the sarcophagus of middle Kingdom Pharaohs, reveal her psychoactive power. Seshat (Sesha, Sesheta or Safekh-Aubi) was a goddess of reading, writing, arithmetic, and architecture who was seen as either the female aspect of Thoth, his daughter, or his wife. Circe was the Greek goddess of metamorphosis and illusion. [1] It was she who recorded, by notching her palm, the time allotted to the pharaoh for his stay on earth. she who is the scribe), and is credited with inventing writing.. She also became identified as the goddess of architecture, astronomy, astrology, building . Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Garland of the Goddess : Tales and Poems of the Feminine Divine, Paperback by. Arguing that there were few female scribes based on there being no womens literature in ancient Egypt seems in error as the literature of the culture could hardly be considered masculine in any respect save for the kings monumental inscriptions. } Seshat was known as the goddess of wisdom, knowledge and writing amongst other things. (Patricia Telesco, "365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess".) It was last seen in British general knowledge crossword. 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