A Brief Introduction to the Egyptian Goddess Neith
Neith (aka Net, Neit, or Nit) is one of the oldest gods worshiped in ancient Egypt. Her status dates back to the Predynastic Era of Egypt (3000 b.c.e) and continued until the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323–30 BCE)- the last dynasty before Roman rule.
Neith was most prominently worshiped in Sias, as the patron god, and in Lower Egypt. She also held importance in the Capital City Memphis. Her most popular time of worship was from 664 b.c.e. to 525 b.c.e., during the 26th Dynasty. When Sias was Egypt’s Capital.
Neith was a goddess of war, creation, funerary, and attributed to inventing birth. She was considered to be a powerful goddess and a great protector.
She was believed to be an effective mediator between gods and men. Because of this, she held her position as the patron god of Sias,(and the most popular goddess of Lower Egypt) firmly. Even after some of her attributes were given to the goddesses Isis and Hathor. Both of whom became goddesses more popular than her in Egypt.
In mythology, she is the mother of Atum (Ra), the sun and creator god. Being the mother of Amen (Ra) granted her the title of “mother of all gods” and connected her with Nun ( the personification of the primeval waters of chaos from which Ra emerged at the beginning of time). However, she was further credited with creating Apep, the boundless serpent and the sworn foe of Ra, by spitting into the waters of Nun.
Neith is also considered to have been there at the beginning of creation. There are, according to Writer Joshua J. Mark, some stories in which Neith is thought to have started creation, with her son Atum (Ra) finishing it once he was born.
Like all gods, Neith has items that represent her and her. Neith’s symbols are the bow and arrows and a sword and shield as a war goddess, a weaving shuttle as a funerary goddess, and the Red Crown of Lower Egypt as a goddess of creation and mother goddess. She is often depicted sitting on her throne holding a bow and two arrows or a sceptre. Additionally, there are times where she is depicted as a cow, linking her to the Great Cow, who was a mother to Ra.
For more information on Neith, click the link.
Bibliography:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Neith”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Neith. Accessed 20 January 2022.
Mark, Joshua J.. “Neith.” World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 14 Sep 2016. Web. 20 Jan 2022.
Hill, Jenny. “Neith | Ancient Egypt Online”. Ancientegyptonline.Co.Uk, 2010, https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/neith/. Web. 20 Jan 2022.
