Sekhmet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sekhmet |
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Sekhmet is shown with the head of a lioness, a sun disk, and a royal cobra known as a uraeus on her head.
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| Major cult center | Memphis, Leontopolis |
| Symbol | Sun disk, red linen, lioness |
| Consort | Ptah |
| Offspring | Nefertem, Maahes, Imhotep (later accounts) |
| Parents | Ra (or self-created in Memphis) |
In Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet was one of the most powerful goddesses. Her name means "the Powerful One." She was known as a fierce warrior goddess and also as a goddess of medicine and healing. She was often shown with the body of a woman and the head of a lioness.
Sekhmet is also a solar deity, which means she is connected to the sun. She was sometimes called the "Eye of Ra" because she was the daughter of the sun god Ra and carried out his will. She is often linked with two other goddesses who could take the form of a cat, Hathor and Bastet.
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Sekhmet's Important Roles
Sekhmet was the daughter of the sun god, Ra. She was a very important goddess in the ancient Egyptian pantheon, which is the group of all their gods and goddesses. Sekhmet acted as a powerful and sometimes scary version of Ra's power, called the Eye of Ra.
Ancient Egyptians believed she could breathe fire. They thought the hot winds of the desert were her breath. She was also believed to have the power to cause sickness, but people also prayed to her to protect them from diseases and to heal them when they were sick.
The Myth of the Angry Goddess
There is a famous myth about a time when Ra was growing old and ruled on Earth. Some humans began to plot against him. Ra became angry and sent Sekhmet, in the form of the goddess Hathor, to punish them.
Sekhmet's anger was so great that she began to fight the humans who had disobeyed Ra. But after the battle, she could not stop her fury. She went on a rampage across Egypt and almost destroyed all of humanity.
To stop her, Ra and the other gods came up with a clever plan. They mixed a special red drink that looked just like blood and poured it all over a field. Sekhmet, thinking it was blood, drank all of it. The drink made her so calm and sleepy that she gave up her fight and returned peacefully to her father, Ra. This act saved humanity from being destroyed.
In another version of the story, Sekhmet was upset that she had been tricked. She left Egypt and went into the desert, taking the sun's power with her. The world became dark and dangerous. The wise god Thoth had to persuade her to return and bring back the sun's full glory.
Sekhmet's Family
In the city of Memphis, Sekhmet was considered the wife of Ptah, the god of craftsmen. Together, they had a son named Nefertum, who was the god of perfume and healing.
She was also said to be the mother of another lion-headed god, Maahes, who was a god of war. Sometimes, she was called the sister of the cat goddess Bastet, who was seen as a much gentler goddess.
Sekhmet is one of the most common Egyptian gods seen in museums today. Many statues and good-luck charms, called amulets, were made in her image. This shows how important she was to the ancient Egyptians.
How People Worshipped Sekhmet
To celebrate the myth where Sekhmet was calmed, the ancient Egyptians held a big festival at the beginning of each year. They would dance, play music, and celebrate to soothe the goddess's fierce side and keep her happy. They hoped this would prevent her from getting angry again.
Archaeologists have found evidence of these festivals. For example, at the temple of the goddess Mut in Luxor (which was once the great city of Thebes), they found a "porch of celebration." It was built by the female pharaoh Hatshepsut. This shows that thousands of people, from priests to ordinary citizens, took part in these festivals.
Later, when the Greeks ruled Egypt, they knew of a temple for Sekhmet's son, Maahes. The city where it was located was called Leontopolis, which means "City of Lions."
Sekhmet Through History
The first clear mention of Sekhmet was found in the pyramid complex of Pharaoh Nyuserre Ini, who ruled during the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. At first, she was not one of the main goddesses. However, she became much more important during the New Kingdom period of Egyptian history.
During the Middle Kingdom, the pharaoh Amenhotep III had over 700 statues of Sekhmet built for his main temple. This shows how much he respected and worshipped her.
Even today, some people who follow modern pagan religions are interested in Sekhmet. They study her history and sometimes use statues, both new and ancient ones in museums, to honor her.
See also
In Spanish: Sejmet para niños
- Mafdet
- List of solar deities
- List of war deities
- List of health deities
