"Taweret (Taueret, Taurt, Toeris, Ipy, Ipet, Apet, Opet, Reret) - The Great Female - was the ancient Egyptian goddess of maternity and childbirth, protector of women and children. Like Bes, she was both a fierce demonic fighter as well as a popular deity who guarded the mother and her newborn child. She was depicted as a combination of a crocodile, a pregnant hippopotamus standing on her hind legs with large breasts and a lion. Unlike the composite demoness Ammut, her head and body were that of the hippo, her paws were that of the lion, and her back was the back of a crocodile." -- British Museum Glossary- guardian of women and children
- a fierce protector
- giver of fertility
- pregnancy & motherhood
- guide & protector through childbirth & labor
- a good harvest
- help with female sexuality
- magical protection
- ward off evil & fight demons or negative ghost spirits
- a guide to souls of the dead and rebirth
- a loving household deity
This Goddess is a lesser known feature character in the famous Egyptian Book of the Dead, but I've most often seen depictions of Her on everyday items a woman might use such as vanity mirrors and drinking cups. She was also an important symbol to be included on birthing blocks; wood or stone blocks women stood upon while in labor to ease delivery of the baby. Lucky babies and children in Egypt would have some sort of amulet or talisman featuring a depiction of Taweret near the bed or on worn jewelry because being comprised of both the hippopotamus and crocodile Taweret is fiercely protective of offspring! When depicted standing in profile, She's often holding the sa, which is a hieroglyph of protection similar to the ankh hieroglyph of life. She was an important deity in Her day, and I feel that Her energy if called upon today could offer comfort and magical assistance to a woman in need.
The Taweret Spiritkeepers™ Stones I painted are currently available in my Etsy.com Curio Castle store, but if you're opposed to becoming a member of a shopping site you are welcome to contact me for direct purchase (Contact link tab). Make sure to include a return email address when contacting me so that I can get back to you with ease. If you stop by the store, I do hope you'll enjoy browsing the Taweret and many other one of a kind stones I have to offer!
* Taweret & other Egyptian deities to print & color yourself
http://karenswhimsy.com/egyptian-gods-goddesses.shtm
* The Book of the Dead, by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge
Download ebook for free from Project Gutenberg Literary Archive http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7145
1 comment:
One of my favourite Egyptian gods, purely for the fact that, for all her supposed peaceful and pleasant features/embodiments, Taweret looks by far one of the most menacing of all Egyptian deities!
We've just interviewed Cairo American University's Salima Ikram on the use of animals in Egyptian religion - it's fascinating stuff and so full of stunning iconography.
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