Nekhbet

Nekhbet, also written Nekhebet, is an ancient Egyptian goddess depicted as a white vulture. She is the principal deity associated with Upper Egypt and serves as a protector of the pharaoh. Along with Wadjet, the cobra goddess of Lower Egypt, Nekhbet forms the Two Ladies, the royal protectors who legitimize the ruler.

In art and cult, Nekhbet is shown as a vulture with wings spread over the king or standing above royal insignia. She participates in the protective deities that accompany the king in life and in the afterlife. Her symbol often appears on royal crowns and temple reliefs, emphasizing the sovereignty and safety of the monarch.

Her cult center was Nekheb (ancient El-Kab) in Upper Egypt, where temples honored her from the early dynastic period onward. She was also revered in associations with protection of mothers and offspring, reflecting the vulture’s role as a guardian.

Together with Wadjet, Nekhbet represents the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt under the king. The Two Ladies appear in royal titulary, temple imagery, and sarcophagi as guardians of order and legitimacy. Nekhbet’s worship persisted through much of ancient Egyptian history and she remained a prominent symbol of royal protection.