Uadjit

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UADJIT

Uadjit, also know as Ujadet, Wadjet, Uadjet, Wazit, Ua Zit, was the snake or cobra goddess of Ancient Egypt. She was originally a goddess of a city who later became the goddess of Lower Egypt. Uadjit took the title ‘The Eye of Ra’. She was also known to be one of the ‘two ladies’ or nebty of the Pharaohs. “She of freshness” came from the local goddess of Per-Wadjet, or the “House of Wadjet” to be the patron of all Lower Egypt. Uadjit was a twin in guardship with her sister the vulture goddess Nekhbet. Both Uadjit and Nekhbet were the nebty or the two ladies of the Pharaohs; it was also an early example of duality where each both upper and lower Egypt had to have their own patron goddess. Uadjit was said to be the protector of the Pharaoh. She was depicted as a cobra with the wings of a vulture ready to strike and kill her enemies. Uadjit could also be seen as a cobra with the red crown or with the sun disk upon her head as well as being known to have wings. The cobra was the symbol of Lower Egypt. She was depicted as a lion headed woman, or a woman wearing a red crown of Lower Egypt. Uadjit was often depicted throughout history with her sister, Nekhbet which was an identical form to Uadjit. Uadjit’s sister was the vulture goddess Nekhbet. Nekhbet was the ancient patroness of Upper Egypt before the first dynasty. Nekhbet was personified by the vulture, the town-god of Nekheb opposite the Nile at Hierakonpolis. “The goddess Uadjit comes to you in the form of the living Uraeus to anoint your head with her flames. She rises up on the left side of your head and she shines from the right side of your temples without speech; she rises up on your head during each and every hour of the day, even as she does for her father Ra, and through her the terror which you inspire in the spirits is increased. She will never leave you, are of you strikes into the souls of which are made perfect.” (The Book of the Dead) She later became the goddess of heat and fire which enhanced her role as a protector. Her powers were fierce she could use both poison and flames against her enemies. Uadjit’s shrine was the house of flame, and her city Dep in the Delta, which is the equivalent to the Greek Buto. She possibly once came from a location just south of Tanis. When a new king was to be coroneted, they would have to claim the throne from Uadjit. She was the protector of the kings; she was sometimes called the daughter of the sun without being involved in the sun cult. Uadjit was not always known as the feared protector, she was also known as a nurturer, same thing goes with Nekhbet. It was believed that Uadjit assisted Isis nurse Horus back to health as well as helps hide them in the swampy delta in the area of the Nile. Another one of Uadjit’s more gentle sides was her link with nature. The Pyramid texts said that the papyrus plant emerged from her, and that she was connected to the forces of growth. It is also believed that Uadjit her self created the papyrus swamps herself. Uadjit became an iconic symbol of ancient Egypt. From a local goddess to a patron goddess of Lower Egypt set her name in stone. Uadjit became the symbol for ruler-ship. As well as being a goddess she was the only goddess that was part of the land of Egypt itself.