Sekhmet (deity)

Symbol: Lioness; sun disc; papyrus staff

Culture: Ancient Egypt

Father: Ra

Children: Nefertum

Sekhmet was the ancient Egyptian goddess of war, sometimes referred to as "she who is powerful."

The goddess is depicted with a body of a woman, the face of a lioness, and the serpent uraeus seated on the solar disc above her head. Sekhmet had the potential to destroy all of Egypt’s enemies through her unforgiving power. In times of war, the pharaoh used Sekhmet to manifest his terrible power.

Initially, her cult center was in the city of Memphis. Her position as the consort of the god Ptah is believed to have come about because both of these gods were popularly worshiped in the city. The concept of the two being husband and wife helped unify worship. Over time, she was worshiped more widely as a fearsome goddess.

However, Sekhmet was also worshipped as a goddess of healing. In this guise she was called "lady of life." She is the embodiment of the concept of ma’at, or balance. Ma’at can also mean justice and Sekhmet was the protector of ma’at.

Egyptians placed great importance to most animals that lived around them. The divinity ascribed to them was so intense, harming any of these animals is considered to be a crime worthy of the death penalty. The origin of Sekhmet as a popular deity can find its inception from these beliefs as the lion was the most powerful hunter known to Egyptians.

In Mythology

Sekhmet’s leonine form leads to many association and legends in connection with other gods in feline form prevalent in Egyptian culture. The most popular of these associations were to the goddesses Mut and Bastet.

She was also believed to have been the daughter of the sun god Ra. Sekhmet was one of several goddesses known as the Eyes of Ra as they were frequently employed by the sun god to bring about the destruction of his enemies.

A very popular legend that originated in connection with this myth involves Ra, the sun god is angered when he believes humanity was plotting against him for power. This disrupted ma’at, putting everything out of balance. Ra sent Sekhmet into the human world to bring retribution. The goddess inflicted terrible savagery on the humans, unleashing the full potential of her wrath with tremendous ferocity. She used her power to its highest degree, slaying men who were fleeing into the desert to escape the goddess’s anger. After a whole day of wanton slaughter, Ra realized that Sekhmet had become unstoppable in her blood lust. Ra placed seven thousand jars of red-dyed beer all over the land of Egypt, which Sekhmet mistook for blood and consumed. She became intoxicated and failed to complete her task of destroying the human race. The humans had been punished and ma’at was restored.

The goddess Sekhmet is also recognized for her capabilities in healing the righteous, just as much as her potential to bring plague upon the wicked. She was also believed to be the essence of a healing force that had the ability to counteract most diseases.

The god Nefertum was believed to be the child of Sekhmet. Nefertum embodied the sunrise. Ancient Egyptians believed every sunrise saw his birth. As the day progressed, he grew up to be Atum, the sun god. At sunset he would descend into the world of the dead. The daily cycle of birth and death was another representation of ma’at.

Origin and Cults

Her leonine form suggests Sekhmet might have originated from Nubia (modern day Sudan). However, her initial form before the feline representation might have been a coiled snake called Mehen, who was attributed with the protection of the sun god Ra. Cults worshipping this deity included physicians and magicians among their members. The identity this goddess had as a healer is very important as she was known as the "lady of life" and acted as crucial part of the medicinal practices of ancient Egypt. The priests of Sekhmet would be present during the treatment of a patient, reciting prayers to the goddess for a healthy recovery. Research into the cults that worshipped Sekhmet suggests they had in-depth knowledge about the structure of the human heart.

Ancient Egypt frequently faced the problem of internal strife as territories under independent rule occasionally revolted. The pharaohs skilfully used Sekhmet during these times as a representation of their divine and absolute power. Sekhmet is depicted as the "lady of bright red linen" in the context of her terrible and all-pervading power to crush dissent, the bright red linen invoking the gruesome imagery of the blood-soaked clothes of the enemies of the goddess. During times of war, the gates of Sekhmet’s temples were opened as military campaigns were unleashed on Egypt’s enemies. Amenemhat III (1844–1797 BCE) of the twelfth dynasty constructed over seven hundred statues of Sekhmet in the goddess’s honor.

Sekhmet represented the duality of terrible destruction and life-saving healing. Her complexities contributed towards her continued worship throughout ancient Egypt.

Bibliography

Bunson, R. Margeret. Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Rev. ed. New York: Facts On File, 2002. Print.

Hart, George. The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2005. Print.

"Nefertum." Ancient Egypt Online. J. Hill, 2010. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.

Seele, C. Keith. When Egypt Ruled the East. 2nd ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1957. Print.

"Sekhmet." Ancient Egypt Online. J. Hill, 2010. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.

"Sekhmet." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2015. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.