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Handbook of Egyptian Mythology woman wearing the Red Crown of the north. Her temple at Sais in the Delta was one of Ancient Egypt’s most famous buildings. Neith was a very important deity in the Early Dynastic Period. The curious symbol that represented Neith in these early times may originally have been a click beetle. Later this symbol was reinterpreted as two arrows crossing a shield. Click beetles are usually found near water, and Neith was often equated with Mehet-Weret, a primeval goddess whose name means the Great Flood. She was the mother of the creator sun god and so had claims to be considered the oldest of beings. At Sais, Neith was called “the great mother who gave birth to Ra; she instituted giving birth when there had been no childbirth before.” By extension, Neith could also be regarded as the mother of that other divine child, Horus. As early as the New Kingdom, Neith was alluded to as “the Mother and Father of all things.” A text in the Roman Period temple of Esna describes how Neith created the world by speaking seven magical words. As the personification of the fertile primeval waters, she was the mother of the snakes and crocodiles “who are in the abyss.” Neith, “the nurse of crocodiles,” was shown as a crocodile-headed woman suckling two small crocodiles. She was often named as the mother of Sobek, the most important crocodile god. When Neith spat into the primeval waters, her spittle turned into the terrible chaos monster, Apophis, who nightly challenged the rule of the sun god. One festival at Esna commemorated Neith saving the newborn Ra from her children (the crocodiles or the chaos serpent) by carrying him across the waters. Neith, “mistress of the bow,” was depicted holding a bow and arrows. The arrows of Neith were used to strike down the enemies of the sun god, including her offspring Apophis. In the Pyramid Texts, Neith was named as one of the four goddesses who protected the royal sarcophagus and canopic chest. This protective role was later extended to all the dead. See also Apophis; Cattle; Horus the Child; Mehet-Weret; Nun; Sobek References and further reading: R. El-Sayed. Le Désse Neith de Saïs. BiEtud 86. Cairo: 1982.B. S. Lesko. “Neith, Lady of Sais and Creator of All.” In The Great Goddesses of Egypt. Norman, OK: 1999 , 45–63. Primary sources: PT 362, 555; CT 669, 820; Ad, hours 10–11; H&S; Udjahorresne; Esna calendar; Esna Texts
NEKHBET Nekhbet was the vulture goddess of Upper Egypt. See also Two Ladies