Philosophia
September 6th, 2006, 09:07 PM
This is my first Weekly deity, so I apologize beforehand if I do something wrong.
Seshat is a Goddess I am very close and a deity I worship.
Seshat (Sashet, Sesheta), meaning 'female scribe', was seen as the goddess of writing, historical records, accounting and mathematics, measurement and architecture to the ancient Egyptians. She was depicted as a woman wearing a panther-skin dress (the garb of the funerary stm priests) and a headdress that was also her hieroglyph - - which may represent either a stylized flower or seven pointed star on a standard that is beneath a set of down-turned horns. (The horns may have originally been a crescent, linking Seshat to the moon and hence to her spouse, the moon god of writing and knowledge, Thoth.)
She was believed to appear to assist the pharaoh at various times, and who kept a record of his life:
It was she who recorded the time allotted to him by the gods for his stay on earth.
She was associated with the pharaoh at the 'stretching the cord' foundation ritual, where she assisted the pharaoh with the measuring process. During New Kingdom times, she was shown to have been involved in the sed (jubilee) festival of the pharaohs, holding a palm rib to show the passage of time. She kept track of each pharaoh and the period for which he ruled and the speeches made during the crowning rituals. She was also shown writing down the inventory of foreign captives and captured goods from campaigns.
One of the most important ceremonies in the foundation of Egyptian temples was known as Pedjeshes (Pedj--"to stretch," Shes--"a cord") and it forms the subject of one of the chief monumental ornaments in the temples of Abydos, Heliopolis, Denderah, and Edfu. The reigning pharaoh and a priestess personifying Seshat, the goddess of writing, proceeded to the site, each armed with a golden mallet and a PEG connected by a cord to another PEG. Seshat having driven her peg home at the previously prepared spot, the king directed his gaze to the constellation of the Bull's Foreleg (this constellation is identical with Ursa Major, "Great Bear," and the "hoof" star is Benetnasch, Eta Ursae majoris). Having aligned the cord to the "hoof" and Spica as seen through the visor formed by Seshat's curious headdress, he raised his mallet and drove the peg home, thus marking the position of the axis of the future temple.
- Cyril Fagan, Zodiacs Old and New (1951)
Seshat has no temples that have been found, though she did have a priesthood in early times. Along with her priestess', there were a few priests in the order - the Slab Stela of Prince Wep-em-nefret, from the Fourth Dynasty, gives him the title of Overseer of the Royal Scribes, Priest of Seshat. It was at a later time that the priests of Thoth took over the priesthood of Seshat.
From Tour Egypt (http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/seshat.htm)
Safekh-Aubi (Sefekh-Aubi) is a title that came from Seshat's headdress, that may have become an aspect of Seshat or an actual goddess. Safekh-Aubi means 'She Who Wears the Two Horns' and relates to the horns that appear above Seshat's head.
Her headdress was also her hieroglyph which may represent either a stylized flower or seven pointed star on a standing goddess that is beneath a set of down-turned horns. The horns may have originally been a crescent, linking Seshat to the moon and hence to her spouse, the moon god of writing and knowledge, Thoth.
Seshat is said to be Tehuti's / Thoth's female counterpart and consort. She was often depicted as his wife by the Egyptians. As reality is based on duality - one could consider her the feminine aspect of Thoth. This of course links her with the Goddesses Isis, Nephthys, all being the same soul. The Egyptians believed that she invented writing, while Thoth taught writing to mankind. She was known as 'Mistress of the House of Books', indicating that she also took care of Thoth's library of spells and scrolls. She is the patron of libraries and all forms of writing, including census & accounting work.
Seshat was the only female that has been found (so far) actually writing. Other women have been found holding a scribe's writing brush and palette - showing that they could read and write - but these women were never shown in the act of writing itself.
From the Second Dynasty onwards, she helped ritualized laying of the foundations of temples and the ceremony known as the stretching of the cord (referring to the mason's line used to measure out the limits of the building). She was known as Mistress of the House of Architects. She was personal god of the king, aiding and assisting him. She was said to record all of his preceedings and his accomplishments.
From Crystalinks (http://www.crystalinks.com/seshat.html)
Titles
Seshat's most important titles, known since the beginning of Egyptian history, are "Lady of Builders," "Foremost in the Library" (Per-Medjat or House of Books), and "Foremost in the Temple Library" (Per-Ankh, or House of Life). She is also "The Original One who originated writing at the beginning" and "She who is before the House of Foreigners."
Seshat shares some titles and epithets with Djehuty (Thoth). They are "Foremost of Heseret," the necropolis in Hermopolis, and together are the "Lord and Lady of Writing" and "Lord and Lady of Hermopolis." (In fact Hermopolis was named for Djehuty by the Greeks, who equated Him with Hermes. The city was originally called Khmun.) There is more about Seshat's relationship to Djehuty on the "Connections" page.
At least since the New Kingdom, Seshat carried several other titles:
Lady of Years
Lady of Fate
Lady of the Declarations of Ra
Right and True Flower in the Hand of Ra
Great of Magic (weret-hekau) -- a title common to Aset (Isis), Sekhmet, Wadjet, Nit, Bast, Djehuty, and perhaps others; also a Name of Netjer in Her own right.
Eye of Ra -- a title shared by many female gods, primarily Sekhmet.
The Golden -- a common title or epithet for the Names, primarily Het-Hert (Hathor). It is sometimes said of the Names that Their skin is made of gold.
Lady of the Sky/Heaven -- a title shared with Het-Hert, and most likely, other Names.
From Seshat.org (http://seshat.org/seshat/page2.html)
More links:
Seshat's role and pedigree (http://www.recoveredscience.com/const201seshathempmath.htm)
Seshat (http://www.egyptiandreams.co.uk/seshat.php?osCsid=9176fde8c2efb58459e7ef38c...)
Seshat (http://www.egyptianmyths.net/seshat.htm)
Seshat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seshat)
The Immortal Scribe (http://members.aol.com/ladymori/)
Seshat in Luxor (http://www.recoveredscience.com/const288seshatluxor.htm)
Seshat (http://www.themystica.com/mythical-folk/articles/seshat.html)
Seshat at AllExperts (http://experts.about.com/e/s/se/Seshat.htm)
Seshat is a Goddess I am very close and a deity I worship.
Seshat (Sashet, Sesheta), meaning 'female scribe', was seen as the goddess of writing, historical records, accounting and mathematics, measurement and architecture to the ancient Egyptians. She was depicted as a woman wearing a panther-skin dress (the garb of the funerary stm priests) and a headdress that was also her hieroglyph - - which may represent either a stylized flower or seven pointed star on a standard that is beneath a set of down-turned horns. (The horns may have originally been a crescent, linking Seshat to the moon and hence to her spouse, the moon god of writing and knowledge, Thoth.)
She was believed to appear to assist the pharaoh at various times, and who kept a record of his life:
It was she who recorded the time allotted to him by the gods for his stay on earth.
She was associated with the pharaoh at the 'stretching the cord' foundation ritual, where she assisted the pharaoh with the measuring process. During New Kingdom times, she was shown to have been involved in the sed (jubilee) festival of the pharaohs, holding a palm rib to show the passage of time. She kept track of each pharaoh and the period for which he ruled and the speeches made during the crowning rituals. She was also shown writing down the inventory of foreign captives and captured goods from campaigns.
One of the most important ceremonies in the foundation of Egyptian temples was known as Pedjeshes (Pedj--"to stretch," Shes--"a cord") and it forms the subject of one of the chief monumental ornaments in the temples of Abydos, Heliopolis, Denderah, and Edfu. The reigning pharaoh and a priestess personifying Seshat, the goddess of writing, proceeded to the site, each armed with a golden mallet and a PEG connected by a cord to another PEG. Seshat having driven her peg home at the previously prepared spot, the king directed his gaze to the constellation of the Bull's Foreleg (this constellation is identical with Ursa Major, "Great Bear," and the "hoof" star is Benetnasch, Eta Ursae majoris). Having aligned the cord to the "hoof" and Spica as seen through the visor formed by Seshat's curious headdress, he raised his mallet and drove the peg home, thus marking the position of the axis of the future temple.
- Cyril Fagan, Zodiacs Old and New (1951)
Seshat has no temples that have been found, though she did have a priesthood in early times. Along with her priestess', there were a few priests in the order - the Slab Stela of Prince Wep-em-nefret, from the Fourth Dynasty, gives him the title of Overseer of the Royal Scribes, Priest of Seshat. It was at a later time that the priests of Thoth took over the priesthood of Seshat.
From Tour Egypt (http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/seshat.htm)
Safekh-Aubi (Sefekh-Aubi) is a title that came from Seshat's headdress, that may have become an aspect of Seshat or an actual goddess. Safekh-Aubi means 'She Who Wears the Two Horns' and relates to the horns that appear above Seshat's head.
Her headdress was also her hieroglyph which may represent either a stylized flower or seven pointed star on a standing goddess that is beneath a set of down-turned horns. The horns may have originally been a crescent, linking Seshat to the moon and hence to her spouse, the moon god of writing and knowledge, Thoth.
Seshat is said to be Tehuti's / Thoth's female counterpart and consort. She was often depicted as his wife by the Egyptians. As reality is based on duality - one could consider her the feminine aspect of Thoth. This of course links her with the Goddesses Isis, Nephthys, all being the same soul. The Egyptians believed that she invented writing, while Thoth taught writing to mankind. She was known as 'Mistress of the House of Books', indicating that she also took care of Thoth's library of spells and scrolls. She is the patron of libraries and all forms of writing, including census & accounting work.
Seshat was the only female that has been found (so far) actually writing. Other women have been found holding a scribe's writing brush and palette - showing that they could read and write - but these women were never shown in the act of writing itself.
From the Second Dynasty onwards, she helped ritualized laying of the foundations of temples and the ceremony known as the stretching of the cord (referring to the mason's line used to measure out the limits of the building). She was known as Mistress of the House of Architects. She was personal god of the king, aiding and assisting him. She was said to record all of his preceedings and his accomplishments.
From Crystalinks (http://www.crystalinks.com/seshat.html)
Titles
Seshat's most important titles, known since the beginning of Egyptian history, are "Lady of Builders," "Foremost in the Library" (Per-Medjat or House of Books), and "Foremost in the Temple Library" (Per-Ankh, or House of Life). She is also "The Original One who originated writing at the beginning" and "She who is before the House of Foreigners."
Seshat shares some titles and epithets with Djehuty (Thoth). They are "Foremost of Heseret," the necropolis in Hermopolis, and together are the "Lord and Lady of Writing" and "Lord and Lady of Hermopolis." (In fact Hermopolis was named for Djehuty by the Greeks, who equated Him with Hermes. The city was originally called Khmun.) There is more about Seshat's relationship to Djehuty on the "Connections" page.
At least since the New Kingdom, Seshat carried several other titles:
Lady of Years
Lady of Fate
Lady of the Declarations of Ra
Right and True Flower in the Hand of Ra
Great of Magic (weret-hekau) -- a title common to Aset (Isis), Sekhmet, Wadjet, Nit, Bast, Djehuty, and perhaps others; also a Name of Netjer in Her own right.
Eye of Ra -- a title shared by many female gods, primarily Sekhmet.
The Golden -- a common title or epithet for the Names, primarily Het-Hert (Hathor). It is sometimes said of the Names that Their skin is made of gold.
Lady of the Sky/Heaven -- a title shared with Het-Hert, and most likely, other Names.
From Seshat.org (http://seshat.org/seshat/page2.html)
More links:
Seshat's role and pedigree (http://www.recoveredscience.com/const201seshathempmath.htm)
Seshat (http://www.egyptiandreams.co.uk/seshat.php?osCsid=9176fde8c2efb58459e7ef38c...)
Seshat (http://www.egyptianmyths.net/seshat.htm)
Seshat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seshat)
The Immortal Scribe (http://members.aol.com/ladymori/)
Seshat in Luxor (http://www.recoveredscience.com/const288seshatluxor.htm)
Seshat (http://www.themystica.com/mythical-folk/articles/seshat.html)
Seshat at AllExperts (http://experts.about.com/e/s/se/Seshat.htm)