Selket {Goddess of the Week}

[Agaliha]

After looking though and organizing all the thread in G&Gs I found there was no thread dedicated to the Kemetic Goddess Selket, she of scoptions and magic.
I find her to be rather interesting even though she is one of the lesser known in the Kemetic pantheon.

http://www.sculpturegallery.com/egypt/selket2.jpg****http://www.desertusa.com/oct96/du_scorpionhy1.jpg (http://www.desertusa.com/oct96/du_scorpionhy1b.jpg)

SELKET (Selqet, Serket, Serqet)
Symbols: Scorpion
Selket was the goddess of scorpians and magic. She was depicted in the form of a woman with a scorpian on her head.
Her roles in Egyptian mythology were many, mostly as a beneficial goddess. She watched over Qebehsenuef (http://www.egyptianmyths.net/qebehsenuef.htm), one of the four sons of Horus, who in turn protected the intestines of the deceased. Other connections with the afterlife include her epithet, "Lady of the Beautiful Tent" which referred to her as a protector of the embalmer's tent. In the Afterlife she was said to watch over a dangerous twist in a pathway. She was also credited with guarding the snake, Apep (http://www.egyptianmyths.net/apep.htm) following his imprisonment in the Underworld. Selket was also associated with childbirth and nursing. Contrary to her typical benficial characterization, she was also related to the sun's scorching heat. In the Book of the Dead, she is a protector of the deceased and his teeth are identified with hers.
Magically, Selket was a protector from venomous bites. She was the patroness of magicians who dealt with poisoness bites. Suprisingly though, it was usually Isis (http://www.egyptianmyths.net/isis.htm) who was invoked in spells against scorpion stings.
http://www.egyptianmyths.net/selket.htm (http://www.egyptianmyths.net/selket.htm)

Her name means 'She who causes to breathe' and refers to her power of protecting from, or curing poisonous stings of scorpions and serpents.

In Egyptian mythology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_mythology), Serket (also spelt Serket-hetyt, Selket, Selkis, Selchis, and Selkhit) was originally the deification of the scorpion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpion). Scorpion stings lead to paralysis, and Serket's name describes this, as it means (one who) tightens the throat. However, Serket's name can also be read as meaning (one who) causes the throat to breath, and so, as well as being seen as stinging the unrighteous, Serket was seen as one who could cure scorpion stings, and other poisons, such as snake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake) bites.
In art (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art), Serket was shown as a scorpion, or as a woman with a scorpion on her head, and although Serket doesn't appear to have had temples, she had a sizable priesthood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthood). The most dangerous species of scorpion resides in North Africa, and its sting can kill, so Serket was considered a highly important goddess (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goddess), and was sometimes considered by pharaohs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharaoh) to be their patron. As the protector against poisons, and snake bites, Serket was often said to protect the gods from Apep (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apep), the great snake-god of evil, sometimes acting as the guard when Apep was captured.
As many of the venomous creatures of Egypt could prove fatal, Serket was also considered a protector of the dead, particularly being associated with poisons, and fluids causing stiffening. She was thus said to be the protector of the tents of embalmers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embalming), and of the canopic jar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canopic_jar) associated with poison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison) —the jar of the small intestine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intestine)— which was deified as Qebehsenuf, one of the Four sons of Horus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_sons_of_Horus).
As the guard of one of the canopic jars, and a protector, Serket gained a strong association with Aset (Isis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isis)), and Nebet Het (Nephthys (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephthys)), who also performed a similar function. Eventually, long into Egyptian history, Serket began to be identified as Isis, sharing imagery, and parentage, until, finally, Serket became said to be merely an aspect of Isis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serket


Here are some Kemetic Texts about her:

(I am) Serqet, mistress of heaven and lady of all the gods.
I have come before you (Oh) King's Great Wife,
Mistress of the Two Lands,
Lady of Upper and Lower Egypt,
Nefertari, Beloved of Mut,
Justified Before Osiris Who Resides in Abtu (Abydos),
and I have accorded you a place in the sacred land,
so that you may appear gloriously in heaven like Ra.
-- Inscription in the Tomb of Nefetari, Serqet speaking to Nefertari

"I embrace with my two arms that which is in me. Everday I make protection for Qebehsenuef, which is in me. The protection of Osiris is the protection of Qebehsenuef, for Osiris is Qebehsenuef."
-attributed to Selkit in an inscription of an ancient canopic jar.

"The teeth of the Osiris Ani, whose word is truth, are the teeth of Serqet."
-Egyptian Book of the Dead,

Here are some sites with more information about her:
LadyMoondancer's Goddess Selket Page (http://hometown.aol.com/ruthsmoondance/LadyMoondancersSelketPage.html)
Egypt: Serqet, Goddess of Scorpions and Venomous Creatures, Magical Protection and the Afterlife (http://rds.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ama7mZ3pqx2JjMWdKZTMMv1XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTBxbWp1cGg4BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDNDEEc2VjA3Ny/SIG=12e5khd45/EXP=1131229512/**http%3A%2F%2Fwww.touregypt.net%2Ffeaturestories%2Fserqet.htm)
Selket (http://www.angelfire.com/realm2/amethystbt/Eselket.html)
Selket the Goddess of Magic (http://www.sculpturegallery.com/sculpture/selket.html)
Goddess of Magic, Selket (http://www.antiqnet.com/detail,egyptian-statue-goddess,103099.html)
Selket (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/s/serket.html)
Selket (http://sobek.colorado.edu/LAB/GODS/selket.html)
Selket (http://www.philae.nu/PerAnkh/perankhS.html#Selket)
Serket (http://www.kemet.org/glossary/serqet.html) -- Kemet.org
Serqet (http://www.ancient-egypt.org/glossary/religion/serqet.html)
Selket statues (http://www.mandarava.com/metainfo/goddess/selket.htm)
Dua Serqet (http://www.livejournal.com/community/dua_serqet/)-- a LJ community/Temple for Selket
Serket (http://www.chaosmagic.com/forums/wyrdsistersco-ntopic72.html) -- lists attributes and things

Feel free to discuss her and/or add any info, experiences, and opinions.

[Agaliha]

No one? Hummm.... :(

[Nantonos]

That was a very good, well researched posting. Maybe no-one had anything else to add. She is certainly not a Goddess I had come across before.

In the future, if someone posts an "anyone heard of Selket" message, here is a ready made answer. I assume the GOTD are being added to the sticky pointers lists as well?

[Agaliha]

I was hoping to expand the horizons and post little known Dieties so people can learn.
I guess I should chose known Dieties to get conversations? But then there are tons of threads on them already.
::sigh::
Yup, I'll be adding them to the Reference thread too.
:)

[Nantonos]

I was hoping to expand the horizons and post little known Dieties so people can learn.
Which is a valuable thing to do.

[Cassie]

Very interesting Belle Terre. Thanks for posting that.

[Agaliha]

Very interesting Belle Terre. Thanks for posting that.

Thank you :steppy:

[ObsessedFae86]

Hmm..Definitely interesting..thanks for posting this..One can never know too much about deities..even if they don't pertain to your personal interest..still good to know about them :)

[Agaliha]

Hmm..Definitely interesting..thanks for posting this..One can never know too much about deities..even if they don't pertain to your personal interest..still good to know about them :)

Yup, that's why I learn about all different beliefs, faiths and pantheons :)
You're welcome. :)

[Darkwater Stone]

Sounds like a little known goddess who deserves more recognition to me!
Nice research Belle!

[aluokaloo]

no! Of course not! All the Gods and Goddesses well nkown and other wise deserve attention, justy because no one has responded yet about Her dsoesn't mean that you should just neglect the lesser known deities for popular ones. I think its great, I have heard of Her, I have never had Her call to me, as I call it, but I like learning about unknown deities, i have checked out some of the links. Besides that I am sure that they appreciate it too.

[aluokaloo]

Also, I like the idea of Goddess of the Day. Who's next Belle Terre? you should have a God of the Day too. :)

[Agaliha]

Thanks everyone :)

[pooja]

Goddess Bless this thread!

[aluokaloo]

I do belive this lovely Lady already has. :)

[TaysatWesir]

:woot: can't wait to see who's next.

[Ptah]

Thoth now appeared to her (Isis), and advised her to hide herself with her unborn child (Horus), and to bring him forth in secret, and he promised her that her son should succeed in due course to his father's throne. With the help of Thoth she escaped from her captivity, and went forth accompanied by the Seven Scorpion-goddesses, who brought her to the town of Per-Sui, on the edge of the Reed Swamps. She applied to a woman for a night's shelter, but the woman shut her door in her face. To punish her one of the Scorpion-goddesses forced her way into the woman's house, and stung her child to death. The grief of the woman was so bitter and sympathy-compelling that Isis laid her hands on the child, and, having uttered one of her most potent spells over him, the poison of the scorpion ran out of his body, and the child came to life again. The words of the spell are cut on the Stele, and they were treasured by the Egyptians as an infallible remedy for scorpion stings. When the woman saw that her son had been brought back to life by Isis, she was filled with joy and gratitude, and, as a mark of her repentance, she brought large quantities of things from her house as gifts for Isis, and they were so many that they filled the house of the kind, but poor, woman who had given Isis shelter.

Now soon after Isis had restored to life the son of the woman who had shown churlishness to her, a terrible calamity fell upon her, for her beloved son Horus was stung by a scorpion and died. The news of this event was conveyed to her by the gods, who cried out to her to come to see her son Horus, whom the terrible scorpion Uhat had killed. Isis, stabbed with pain at the news, as if a knife had been driven into her body, ran out distraught with grief. It seems that she had gone to perform a religious ceremony in honour of Osiris in a temple near Hetep-hemt, leaving her child carefully concealed in Sekhet-An. During her absence the scorpion Uhat, which had been sent by Set, forced its way into the biding-place of Horus, and there stung him to death. When Isis came and found the dead body, she burst forth in lamentations, the sound of which brought all the people from the neighbouring districts to her side. As she related to them the history of her sufferings they endeavoured to console her, and when they found this to be impossible they lifted up their voices and wept with her. Then Isis placed her nose in the mouth of Horus so that she might discover if he still breathed, but there was no breath in his throat; and when she examined the wound in his body made by the fiend Aun-Ab she saw in it traces of poison. No doubt about his death then remained in her mind, and clasping him in her arms she lifted him up, and in her transports of grief leaped about like fish when they are laid on red-hot coals. Then she uttered a series of heartbreaking laments, each of which begins with the words "Horus is bitten." The heir of heaven, the son of Un-Nefer, the child of the gods, he who was wholly fair, is bitten! He for whose wants I provided, he who was to avenge his father, is bitten! He for whom I cared and suffered when he was being fashioned in my womb, is bitten! He whom I tended so that I might gaze upon him, is bitten! He whose life I prayed for is bitten! Calamity hath overtaken the child, and he hath perished.

Whilst Isis was saying these and many similar words, her sister Nephthys, who had been weeping bitterly for her nephew Horus as she wandered about among the swamps, came, in company with the Scorpion-goddess Serqet, and advised Isis to pray to heaven for help. Pray that the sailors in the Boat of Ra may cease from rowing, for the Boat cannot travel onwards whilst Horus lies dead. Then Isis cried out to heaven, and her voice reached the Boat of Millions of Years, and the Disk ceased to move onward, and came to a standstill. From the Boat Thoth descended, being equipped with words of power and spells of all kinds, and bearing with him the "great command of maa-kheru," i.e., the WORD, whose commands were performed, instantly and completely, by every god, spirit, fiend, human being and by every thing, animate and inanimate, in heaven, earth, and the Other World. Then he came to Isis and told her that no harm could possibly have happened to Horus, for he was under the protection of the Boat of Ra; but his words failed to comfort Isis, and though she acknowledged the greatness of his designs, she complained that they savoured of delay. "What is the good," she asks, "of all thy spells, and incantations, and magical formulae, and the great command of maa-kheru, if Horus is to perish by the poison of a scorpion, and to lie here in the arms of Death? Evil, evil is his destiny, for it hath entailed the deepest misery for him and death."

In answer to these words Thoth, turning to Isis and Nephthys, bade them to fear not, and to have no anxiety about Horus, "For," said he, "I have come from heaven to heal the child for his mother." He then pointed out that Horus was under protection as the Dweller in his Disk (Aten), the Great Dwarf, the Mighty Ram, the Great Hawk, the Holy Beetle, the Hidden Body, the Divine Bennu, etc., and proceeded to utter the great spell which restored Horus to life. By his words of power Thoth transferred the "fluid of life" of Ra, and as soon as this came upon the child's body the poison of the scorpion flowed out of him, and he once more breathed and lived. When this was done Thoth returned to the Boat of Ra, the gods who formed its crew resumed their rowing, and the Disk passed on its way to make its daily journey across the sky. The gods in heaven, who were amazed and uttered cries of terror when they heard of the death of Horus, were made happy once more, and sang songs of joy over his recovery. http://www.sacred-texts.com/egy/leg/leg11.htm

[Agaliha]

Thanks Ptah, I forgot about the myth :)