![]() I circle over and protect you.![]() Nekhbet is an ancient Egyptian mother Goddess and the protectress of Upper Egypt, which is the southern part, or upstream as you follow the Nile. She is often depicted as a vulture, the symbol of Upper Egypt since ancient times, and is usually paired with Uadjet or Wedjat, the cobra Goddess of the Lower Nile, to represent the unity of Egypt. Nekhbet and Uadjit were called Nebti, "The Two Mistresses," and protected the Pharoah. They were shown on the headdress of the pharoah as vulture and cobra (which was also known as the uraeus). As guardian deity of Upper Egypt, Nekhbet was shown wearing the White Crown, while Her counterpart Uadjet wore the Red. Nekhbet's name comes from the town Nekheb in Upper Egypt (the modern el-Kab, located between Luxor and Aswan) and She had a major temple there. She was believed to help during royal births, and is sometimes depicted suckling the Pharoah Herself. She is shown in Her vulture-form hovering over the pharoah protectively, with outspread wings. The city Nekheb was called by the Greeks Eileithyaspolis, showing how they connected Nekhbet with the their Goddess of childbirth, Eileithia. This card in a reading indicates that some new part of you needs cherishing and protection. Perhaps your inner child is seeking nourishment, or a new project needs to develop in a space that is for the time free of harsh criticism or exposure. Alternate spelling: Nekhebet Title: The White One of Nekhen This design is available on prints at ArtPal. |