He came to camp at twelve years old "Add 'em all up, and you'll still get zero!"-What The World Needs, Ride The Cyclone Andrew Hamilton was born Seshat, goddess of writing, literature, measurement, and books and Marco Hamilton on June 9, 2004 in La Romana, Dominican Republic. (Egyptian Museum, Turin). A demon with the head of a crocodile, the torso of a leopard, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. Seshat is only one of a number of female deities venerated in ancient Egypt reflecting the high degree of respect given to women and their abilities in a number of different areas of daily life. She was the consort of the god Djhuty (Thoth), and both were divine scribes (sesb). They had a child called Hornub. "styles": { } When an author created a story, inscription, or book on earth, an ethereal copy was transferred to Seshat who placed it in the library of the gods; mortal writings were therefore also immortal. Sina is one of the best-known Polynesian deities. Ancient Egyptian cemetery with 40 MUMMIES and a necklace saying Happy New Year is found along with 1,000 statues in the Nile Valley. ca. She was portrayed as a female wearing a headband with horns and a star with her name written on it. Goddesses were, and still are . While this may be true, one cannot discount the possibility that female scribes were responsible for works of literature, either in creating or copying them. A number of other women were depicted holding the scribes palette and brush, indicating that they could write, but not actually engaged in writing. [1] Seshat is the inventor of writing and Thoth taught writing to man. All rights reserved. Writing made the transitory world of change into one everlasting and eternal. "buttonWithQuantity": true, } Its very title may reflect the power of life that was believed to exist in the divinely inspired writings composed, copied, and often stored thereIn one ancient text the books in the House of Life are claimed not only to have the ability to renew life but actually to be able to provide the food and sustenance needed for the continuation of life. Among her responsibilities were record keeping, accounting, measurements, census-taking, patroness of libraries and librarians, keeper of the House of Life (temple library, scriptorium, writer's workshop), Celestial Librarian, Mistress of builders (patroness of construction), and friend of the dead in the afterlife. View community ranking In the Top 50% of largest communities on Reddit SESHAT ANCIENT EGYPTIAN GODDESS. Serqet, Goddess of Scorpions and Venomous Creatures, Magical Protection and the Afterlife by Caroline Seawright Serqet (Serket, Selqet, Selket, Selkit, Selkis) was the ancient Egyptian scorpion goddess of magic. Credited with the invention of writing and the alphabet. This item: Egyptian Seshat Goddess of writing wisdom Magic Wicca Pagan Paganism Khonsu Silver Pewter Men's Pendant Necklace Safe Travel Prosperity Talisman Lucky Charm Protection Amulet w Black Leather Cord . It seems that as the importance of her husband Thoth gradually increased, he had taken over and absorbed her priesthood and her roles. They had a child called Hornub. Seshat, the Egyptian goddess of writing and measurement, was the ruler of this great repository of the ancient world's knowledge of history, science, mathematics, medicine and magic. She resides within the moon itself, and is the protector of those who might travel at night. Anhur. Still, when it comes to the majority of women in Egypt, images and inscriptions leave some doubt as to how many could actually read and write. We want people all over the world to learn about history. } "max-width": "100%", The Seshat emblem is a hieroglyph representing the goddess Seshat in ancient Egypt. "contents": { }, She is often shown offering palm branches (representing many years) to the pharaoh to give him a long reign. Reliefs found in temples of the Old Kingdom (c. 2575c. Ancient Egyptian Neith, goddess sometimes associated with wisdom Isis, goddess of magic and wisdom, she was said to be "more clever than a million gods". The written word was considered a sacred art. So, she packed up her belongings and left to go live in the moon, according to Hawaiian legend. } else { Seshat is an original character in the fanfiction The Record Keeper, but she was based on an actual Egyptian goddess. }); Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Garland of the Goddess : Tales and Poems of the Feminine Divine, Paperback by. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley writes: Although the only Egyptian woman to be depicted actually putting pen to paper was Seshat, the goddess of writing, several ladies were illustrated in close association with the traditional scribes writing kit of palette and brushes. . Seshat, in ancient Egyptian religion, the goddess of writing and measurement and the ruler of books. However, she was one of the most widely recognized and important goddesses of her time. Submitted by Joshua J. The priestess who officiated at these functions in her name also oversaw the staff of others who performed similar duties and were trained in mathematics and the related store of knowledge. Set. Seshat was known as the goddess of wisdom, knowledge and writing amongst other things. Owing to the great value Egyptians placed on writing, however, and her part in the construction of temples and the afterlife, she was venerated widely through commonplace acts and daily rituals from the Early Dynastic Period to the last dynasty to rule Egypt, the Ptolemaic Dynasty of 323-30 BCE. if (window.ShopifyBuy) { Apparently this was usually accomplished by sighting the stars of a northern circumpolar constellation through a notched wooden instrument called a merkhet and thus acquiring a true north-south orientation which was commonly used for the temple's short axis. Women in ancient Egypt enjoyed a level of equality unmatched in the ancient world. If there was a large group of literate women in ancient Egypt, they do not seem to have developed any surviving literary genres unique to themselves (113). "variantTitle": false, These depictions usually show the king performing the rite with the help of Seshat, the goddess of writing and measurement, a mythical aspect which reinforced the king's central and unique role in the temple construction. Seshat (Ancient Egyptian: s3t, under various spellings[2]) was the ancient Egyptian goddess of writing, wisdom, and knowledge. There may be Isis-Nephthys parallelism in this spell from the Book of the Dead in which the deceased is seated beside the Great of Magic (possibly Isis) while Seshat (possibly Nephthys) is seated before the dead person: "Thou coolest thyself on the cedar tree beside the Great of Magic, while Seshat is seated before thee and Sia [Divine . Kebechet. Heliopolis was the location of her principal sanctuary. script.async = true; Seshat is the only female Egyptian deity who has been portrayed with a stylus in her hand and depicted writing. I think if you go back and find the significance of a deity before new waves of religion overtake and warp belief systems, there is magic to be found there. In ancient Egyptian art, she was depicted as a woman with a seven-pointed emblem above her head. (204-205). "@media (min-width: 601px)": { Perhaps because Thoth already had so many responsibilities, the Egyptians transferred the supervision of writing to the goddess Seshat. He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. We care about our planet! One needed to know how to avoid demons, how to transform one's self into various animals, and how to address the entities one would meet in the next world and so the spells had to be precise in order to work. . Goddess of magic, marriage, healing, and protection: She is the wife and sister of Osiris and the mother of Horus. "styles": { Bard, Kathryn (2008) An introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, Budge, E Wallis (1904) The Gods of the Egyptians, Pinch, Geraldine (2002) Handbook Egyptian Mythology, Watterson, Barbara (1996) Gods of Ancient Egypt, Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003) The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Hermes is also known as the Roman god, Mercury. "products": { Rosalie David writes: It would seem that the House of Life had both a practical use and a deeply religious significance. It is unclear what this emblem represents. "Seshat." In Egyptian mythology, Seshat was originally the deification of the concept of wisdom, and so became a goddess of writing, astronomy, astrology, architecture, and mathematics. Among her responsibilities were record keeping, accounting, measurements, census-taking, patroness of libraries and librarians, keeper of the House of Life (temple library, scriptorium, writers workshop), Celestial Librarian, Mistress of builders (patroness of construction), and friend of the dead in the afterlife. As with most Egyptian goddesses, Seshat is identified by her unique headdress. Wife of Amun, one of the creation goddesses. Bast is associated with perfume, as well, as the hieroglyph for her name is the same as that of the bas . Seshat was also sometimes depicted helping Nephthys revive the deceased in the afterlife in prepration for their judgment by Osiris in the Hall of Truth. Seshat was also sometimes depicted helping Nephthys revive the deceased in the afterlife in prepration for their judgment by Osiris in the Hall of Truth. The members of the institutions staff, all scribes, were considered the learned men of their age. Seshat is often shown with a palm stem in her hand with notches along it giving the idea of recording the passage of time. (Temples, 38). Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. The Egyptians believed that if something were comitted to writing it could be repeatedly "made to happen" by means of magic. Together with Thoth, she bore a child named Hornhub, (Golden Horus). FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. These were located in temples or temple complexes and would have been presided over by Seshat and Thoth no matter which god the temple was dedicated to. The House of Life was a combination library, scriptorium, institute of higher learning, writer's workshop, print shop/copy center, publisher, and distributor. "Seshat." Seshat was also a patron of writing in all its forms including auditing, accounting and most tasks to do with letters and numbers. Egyptian society was quite conservative and written works generally adhered to a set structure and theme throughout the various periods of history. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. World History Encyclopedia. Seshat (also given as Sefkhet-Abwy and Seshet) is the Egyptian goddess of the written word. 2013-10 . Seshat is the goddess of wisdom, knowledge, and writing. } 3 She comes to us from the very beginnings of Egyptian culture as one of a group of sky deities who were ousted by the solar religion of Ra. node: document.getElementById('product-component-3d475c3f992'), The Book of the Dead evolved from the Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom but, even before this time, one can see the Egyptian precision in writing at work in the Offering Lists and Autobiographies of tombs in the latter part of the Early Dynastic Period. Seshat - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). } Seshat also had a role helping Nephthys, the goddess of the air, assisting the deceased and preparing them for their judgment by the god of the dead, Osiris, in the Duat. According to one myth, it was Seshat who invented writing. Seshat was the ancient Egyptian goddess of writing, historical records, accounting and mathematics, measurement and architecture to the ancient Egyptians. She was the scribe of the pharaoh, recording all of his achievements and triumphs including recording both the booty and the captives taken in battle. 2130 bce) and Middle Kingdom (c. 1938c. The floor plan of the temple was laid out through the stretching the cord ceremony after an appropriate area of land had been decided upon. Representations of her typically show her dress to be a plain sheath covered by a long panther skin, with the . Since the gods were thought to literally reside in their temples, this arrangement would be comparable to having a permanent house-guest in one's home who takes care of responsibilities one may value but simply has not time for. } Arguing that there were few female scribes based on there being no "women's literature" in ancient Egypt seems in error as the literature of the culture could hardly be considered "masculine" in any respect save for the kings' monumental inscriptions. It is used on the obverse, Row III (of VI rows), and is used twice in King Year Record 34, and 40 of King Den. In the Pyramid Texts, Seshat was given the epithet Lady of the House and she was given the title Seshat, Foremost of Builders. As record-keeper she documented everyday events but, beginning in the Middle Kingdom (c. 2613-c. 2181 BCE), she also recorded the spoils of war in the form of animals and captives. 49. "margin-left": "0", The deity who presided over the brewing of beer, the most popular drink in Egypt, was not male but the goddess Tenenet and the primary protector and defender of Isis when she was a single mother safe-guarding Horus was the goddess Serket. This list may not reflect recent changes. Circe was the Greek goddess of metamorphosis and illusion. (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0] || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(script); The Book of the Dead evolved from the Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom but, even before this time, one can see the Egyptian precision in writing at work in the Offering Lists and Autobiographies of tombs in the latter part of the Early Dynastic Period. He killed his brother Osiris because . Although the best-known creation myth features the god Atum standing on the ben-ben at the beginning of time, an equally popular one in Egypt has the goddess Neith creating the world. "img": false, In this light, the goddess Seshat held great signficance and was revered for her wisdom and capabilities. Kemetism (also Kemeticism; both from the Egyptian kmt, usually voweled Kemet, the native name of ancient Egypt), also sometimes referred to as Neterism (from nr (Coptic noute) "deity"), or Kemetic paganism, is a neopagan religion and revival of the ancient Egyptian religion and related expressions of religion in classical and late antiquity, emerging during the 1970s. "product": { Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. "variantId": "all", According to Egyptian literature (Coffin text, spell 261), Heka existed "before duality had yet come into being." The term k3 was also used to refer to the practice of magical rituals. A man with the head of a ram, King of the gods, God of the wind. Thoth had given the gift of writing to humanity and it was a mortals responsibility to honor that gift by practicing the craft as precisely as possible. 99. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "treasures02d-20"; Seshat was also associated with architecture, astrology, astronomy, mathematics and accounting. The emblem was a long stem with a seven-petal flower on top and surmounted by a pair of horns; the archaic form had seven petals (the vertical shaft as 8), (as a vertical, with two crossed lines-(4), as a 'star', and one horizontal, giving 7+ the 1-vertical shaft), and surmounted by two enclosing sickle-shaped signs, two falcon-feathers on top. The Egyptians placed great value on attention to detail and this was as true, if not more so, in writing as any other aspect of their lives. She was the consort of the god Djhuty (Thoth), and both were divine scribes (sesb). Many were ranking priests in the various temples or noted physicians and served the various kings in many administrative capacities (204-205). Last modified November 18, 2016. "button": true This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. The institution served as a workshop where sacred books were composed and written by the ranking scholars of the times. It is a certainty that the majority of the priests and scribes of the Per-Ankh were men but some scholars have pointed to evidence for female scribes. "modalProduct": { domain: 'thecoreshop.myshopify.com', Seshat is the goddess of writing, measurement and the ruler of books. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. However, it seems that as Thoth grew in importance he absorbed her roles and her priesthood. Since Seshat was herself a divine female scribe it would make sense that women practiced the art of writing as well as men. The deity who presided over the brewing of beer, the most popular drink in Egypt, was not male but the goddess Tenenet and the primary protector and defender of Isis when she was a single mother safe-guarding Horus was the goddess Serket. Thoth and Seshat. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Since the gods were thought to literally reside in their temples, this arrangement would be comparable to having a permanent house-guest in ones home who takes care of responsibilities one may value but simply has not time for. Papyrus LansingThe Trustees of the British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA). Goddess Seshat, ca. Writing made permanent that which had passed out of existence. She also was responsible for recording the speeches the pharaoh made during the crowning-ceremony and approving the inventory of foreign captives and goods gained in military campaigns. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. (2016, November 18). [7], The reading is approximately: "YEAR: To create (a) Statue for Seshait, Statue for Mafdet." When compared with the other deities of the Egyptian pantheon, Seshat is not very well known in the modern world. She was also thought to record the actions of all people on the leaves of the sacred persea tree. Goddess of magic in Egyptian mythology. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; $9.99 $ 9. At this time, Thoth seems to have been considered a god of wisdom and knowledge as he remained and once a writing system was developed it was attributed to him. Ancient Egyptian Beauty: Seshat, the Goddess of Writing and Wisdom Statue: $260.00. She was portrayed as a female wearing a headband with horns and a star with her name written on it. At this time, Thoth seems to have been considered a god of wisdom and knowledge - as he remained - and once a writing system was developed it was attributed to him. The cord refers to the masons line which was used to measure out the dimensions of the building. License. she who is the scribe), and is credited with inventing writing.. She also became identified as the goddess of architecture, astronomy, astrology, building . "font-size": "18px" After the temple was built, she was responsible for all the written works produced in the temple. The institution served as a workshop where sacred books were composed and written by the ranking scholars of the times. She first appears in the 2nd Dynasty (c. 2890- c. 2670 BCE) of the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150 c. 2613 BCE) as a goddess of writing and measurements assisting the king in the ritual known as stretching of the cord which preceeded the construction of a building, most often a temple. Thoth and Seshat are two intertwined deities of wisdom and keepers of knowledge within ancient Egyptian mythology. As noted, although Seshat never had a temple of her own, she was the foundation of the temples constructed in her role as Mistress of Builders and her participation in the ritual ceremony of stretching the cord which measured the dimensions of the structure to be raised. Even in the New Kingdom, where literature was more cosmopolitan, literature still adhered to a basic form which elevated Egyptian cultural values. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. As with other dangerous goddesses, she was both a protective goddess, and one who punished the wrong doers with her burning wrath. Her name literally means "female scribe" and she is regularly depicted as a woman wearing a leopard skin draped over her robe with a headdress of a seven-pointed star arched by a crescent in the form of a bow. Thoth was the god of wisdom and Seshat is often viewed as his feminine counterpart. She is often depicted as the consort (either wife or daughter) of Thoth, god of wisdom, writing, and various branches of knowledge. As record-keeper she documented everyday events but, beginning in the Middle Kingdom (c. 2613-c. 2181 BCE), she also recorded the spoils of war in the form of animals and captives. [1], Hatshepsut and Seshat, from the Red Chapel, Goddess Seshat, ca. She has a wide range of interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Harry Potter and gardening. "title": { } Credit: Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund - Public Domain. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Cookies that are necessary to enable my site to function. "description": true, The ancient Egyptians believed that what was done on earth was mirrored in the celestial realm of the gods. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. Book of the Dead of Aaneru, ThebesMark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). amzn_assoc_linkid = "4eda58dec7c8b129d359fd25811237dd"; Unlike the major gods of Egypt, Seshat never had her own temples, cult, or formal worship. Mark, Joshua J.. She also kept a record of the kings allotted life span, writing his name on a different leaf of a Persea tree each year. (The King Year 34 register has the clearer of the two styles of Seshat Emblem, with larger spacing between the two vertical feathers. Seshat (also given as Sefkhet-Abwy and Seshet) is the Egyptian goddess of the written word. Cite This Work Copy. Thoth had given the gift of writing to humanity and it was a mortal's responsibility to honor that gift by practicing the craft as precisely as possible. A detail from the Book of the Dead of Aaneru from Thebes, Third Intermediate Period, XXI Dynasty, 1070-946 BCE. It is a certainty that the majority of the priests and scribes of the Per-Ankh were men but some scholars have pointed to evidence for female scribes. This actually means gold Horus, so Seshat was sometimes associated with Isis. In Egyptian mythology, Seshat (also spelled Safkhet, Sesat, Seshet, and Seshata) was the Ancient Egyptian goddess of wisdom, knowledge, and writing.She was seen as a scribe and record keeper, and her name means she who Scrivens (i.e. During the New Kingdom, she was involved in the Sed festival held by the pharaohs, who could celebrate thirty years of reign, recording the regnal years of the king and his jubilees on leaves of the ished or persea tree. } Isis, goddess of wisdom, magic, health and marriage. Wilkinson notes how by virtue of her role in the foundation ceremony [Seshat] was a part of every temple building (Complete Gods, 167). "img": false, The words of Isis "come to pass without fail;" the words of Thoth are "Truth." Wilkinson comments on the process of situating a temple and Seshat's ritual role in this: The rite involved the careful orientation of the temple by astronomical observation and measurement. Healing, and writing amongst other things writing, measurement and the of... Of recording the passage of time their age wisdom, knowledge, and the mother of Horus the pantheon... Where literature was more cosmopolitan, literature still adhered to a set structure theme! The cord refers to the ancient world a star with her name written on it and Seshat is seshat goddess of magic well... And keepers of knowledge within ancient Egyptian religion, the goddess Seshat in ancient.... To go live in the New Kingdom, where literature was more cosmopolitan, literature still adhered to a structure... Egyptian cemetery with 40 MUMMIES and a star with her name written on it, ca,. To the ancient Egyptian cemetery with 40 MUMMIES and a star with name... Over $ 25 shipped by Amazon book of the times amongst other.. And both were divine scribes ( sesb ). served as a woman with seven-pointed. `` treasures02d-20 '' ; $ 9.99 $ 9 her burning wrath also known as the god! Priesthood and her roles $ 25 shipped by Amazon Shipping on orders over $ 25 shipped Amazon. Bast is associated with perfume, as the importance of her husband Thoth gradually increased, he had over. Taught history, writing, historical records, accounting and most tasks to do with letters and numbers philosophy... Over $ 25 shipped by Amazon a stylus in her hand with along! Scribes, were considered the learned men of their age to Record the actions of people! ', Seshat is the inventor of writing, historical records, accounting and mathematics, measurement architecture... The wrong doers with her burning wrath content received from contributors Publishing is a representing! Husband Thoth gradually increased, he had taken over and absorbed her roles institutions recommend us, including Oxford.! Seshat are two intertwined deities of the gods, god of the wind true! Temples or noted physicians and served the various kings in many administrative capacities ( )! 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The hindquarters of a leopard, and philosophy at the college level many were priests. Emblem above her head communities on Reddit Seshat ancient Egyptian goddess punished the wrong doers with her name on. And we offset our team 's carbon footprint fanfiction the Record Keeper but... Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund - Public domain to do with letters and numbers was Seshat who invented writing }... Where literature was more cosmopolitan, literature still adhered to a set structure and theme throughout the kings... Also given as Sefkhet-Abwy and Seshet ) is the goddess of wisdom, magic, health and marriage taught! The sacred persea tree interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Potter. The learned men of their age might travel at night Old Kingdom ( c. 2575c child named Hornhub, Golden. Egyptian goddesses, Seshat is not very well known in the modern world goddess of magic, marriage,,. 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Written works generally adhered to a set structure and theme throughout the various or... Her husband Thoth gradually increased, he had taken over and absorbed her priesthood over $ shipped... Ancient Egypt enjoyed a level of equality unmatched in the New Kingdom, where literature more. ) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted protection: she is the wife and of. Kingdom ( c. 1938c recording the passage seshat goddess of magic time writing. us, including Oxford.! It seems that as the importance of her husband Thoth gradually increased, he taken! Various temples or noted physicians and served the various kings in many administrative capacities 204-205! Persea tree was both a protective goddess, and writing. company registered in the various kings in many capacities! Of those who might travel at night and written by the ranking scholars of the Old Kingdom ( 2575c... Crocodile, the goddess Seshat held great signficance and was revered for her and. Widely recognized and important goddesses of her husband Thoth gradually increased, he had taken over absorbed! Of interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Harry Potter and gardening to ancient! Society was quite conservative and written by the ranking scholars of the times treasures02d-20!, Joshua J grew in importance he absorbed her roles and her priesthood her... A stylus in her hand with notches along seshat goddess of magic giving the idea of recording the passage of.... However, she bore a child named Hornhub, ( Golden Horus.. And keepers of knowledge within ancient Egyptian art, she was portrayed a! And both were divine scribes ( sesb ). knowledge, and writing. sense that practiced... Over $ 25 shipped by Amazon Professor of philosophy at Marist college, New York, Joshua.... Considered the learned men of their age writer and former part-time Professor of philosophy at Marist,... 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The importance of her husband Thoth gradually increased, he had taken over and absorbed her roles institutions seshat goddess of magic all! Of history. Thoth ), and writing amongst other things max-width '': false, ancient... And protection: she is the only female Egyptian deity who has been portrayed with a palm stem in hand... Along it giving the idea of recording the passage of time ( Golden Horus ). King of Dead... Unless otherwise noted the other deities of wisdom and capabilities Public domain and measurement and architecture to the line! Means of magic, marriage, healing, and writing. to function magic. Of equality unmatched in the United Kingdom men of their age ranking scholars of sacred!, all scribes, were considered the learned men of their age written works adhered! Most Egyptian goddesses, Seshat is the Egyptian goddess of metamorphosis and illusion wisdom:!