| In Egyptian
mythology, Wadjet (also spelt
Wadjit, and, in greek, Udjo, Uto,
Edjo, an Buto) was originally the
local goddess of the city of the same
name, Per-Wadjet, named after her,
and known as Buto to the Greeks. As
the patron goddess, she was associated
with the land, and so became considered
a snake, usually a cobra, which were
omnipresent around the area. Indeed,
her name means papyrus coloured, a
reference to the Cobra's skin. |
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Eventually, she became the patron goddess
of the whole of Lower Egypt, and since
she was linked to the land, she was thought
of as the wife of Hapy,
the god of the Nile, which flowed through
it. As patron of Lower Egypt, she automatically
became associated with Nekhbet,
who held the same position in Upper Egypt,
and together they were known as the two
ladies of the pharaoh.
As a cobra, she was depicted as such, and became confused
with Renenutet, with whom her
identity eventually merged. As patron and protectress, she
was often shown coiled upon the head of Ra, the chief deity,
in order to act as his protection, an image of her which became
the Uraeus symbol. Consequently she became associated with
the Eye of Ra. Indeed, in later times, she was often depicted
simply as a woman with a snake's head, or as a woman wearing
an Uraeus, which had originally itself been her.
| In becoming the protectress of Ra,
who was also a sun god, she became
a goddess associated with heat and
fire, and so was sometimes said to
be able to send fire onto those who
might attack. Consequently, she later
became identified with the war goddess
of Lower Egypt, Bast,
who acted as another figure symbolic
of the nation, consequently becoming
Wadjet-Bast. In this position, since
Bast was a
lioness, Wadjet-Bast was often depicted
with a lion's head. Eventually, her
position as patroness lead to her
being identifed as the more powerful
goddess Mut,
whose cult had risen to power with
the cult of Amun, and eventually being
absorbed into her as Mut-Wadjet-Bast. |
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