Serqet

Serqet, also spelled Selket or Serket, is an ancient Egyptian goddess associated with scorpions, venom, and poison. She is primarily a protective deity, invoked to ward off venomous bites and stings, and to guard the dead and the newborn. In funerary literature she appears as a guardian in the journey through the afterlife, and her protective magic is invoked in spells and amulets.

Iconography: Serqet is usually depicted as a woman with a scorpion on her head, or as a full scorpion. The scorpion is her principal symbol; in some depictions she may bear additional protective insignia, emphasizing her role as a guardian against venomous danger.

Worship and cultural role: Serqet was venerated throughout Egypt, appearing in tomb decorations, coffins, and in funerary texts such as the Book of the Dead and Coffin Texts. She embodies both the peril of venom and the protective power of magic, illustrating the ancient Egyptian view of venom as a threat that can be controlled and redirected by ritual protection.

Name and attestations: The goddess’s name is rendered Serqet, Selket, or Serket, derived from the ancient Egyptian word relating to scorpions or venom. Her cult appears across a broad span of Egyptian history, from the Old Kingdom into later periods, and she continued to be referenced in later revivals and popular depictions.