About the Goddess Wosret of Ancient Egypt
Facts about Egyptian goddess Wosret
Did you know that Egyptian goddess Wosret was revered as the first wife of the creator god Amun? Continue reading to learn more about the history, myths and powers of Wosret, a lesser known Egyptian deity.
Meaning
Due to the reverence given to the goddess Wosret by the ancient Egyptians, it’s been said that her name translates to “the powerful”.
Worship and cult centers
Worship of the ancient Egyptian goddess Wosret was prevalent in the Upper Egyptian city of Thebes. There she was worshiped alongside other Theban deities like her husband Amun, Khonsu and Mut.
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How important was Wosret?
Although not a major deity like Isis or say Hathor, she was still much beloved and renowned among ancient Egyptians. It was believed that her name in itself evoked the meaning of power. This meant that she was the kind of deity not to be trifled with as she could unleash high doses of fury on people who transgressed against her or other Egyptian gods.
Egyptian goddess and the 12th Dynasty pharaohs of Egypt
It’s been shown that Wosret gained immense worship during the reigns of some 12th Dynasty pharaohs of Egypt (BC 1991 – Bc 1804). Pharaoh Senwosret’s (also known as Senusret) associated himself with the goddess Wosret. His name could translate to “man of Wosret” or “son of Wosret”.In addition to Senwosret, other Middle Kingdom pharaohs of that period credited the relative stability and peace of the dynasty to the divine works of the goddess.
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Symbols and depiction
Was Scepter | One of Wosret’s commonest symbols was the ancient Egyptian Was scepter, a symbol of power and dominion
As a minor ancient Egyptian deity, she was hardly depicted. If there were many depictions of her, so far archaeologists have yet to come across them. Similarly, researchers are still yet to uncover any temple built in honor of her.
Read More: Meaning and significance of the Was Scepter and 12 other ancient Egyptian symbols
Powers of Wosret goddess
It’s been noted that ancient Egyptians generally depicted her donning a tall Egyptian crown, a symbolism of her power over the land. That symbol was also reinforced by the was scepter that she wielded. Ancient Egyptians believed that the scepter, which appeared in many Egyptian arts, hieroglyphics and other relics, symbolized the power and dominion. This explains why it was often associated with many Egyptian gods and pharaohs.
The bow and arrows and spears that she wielded perfectly communicate her fierce nature.
More Wosret goddess facts
- The goddess Wosret was the chief consort of the Theban god Amun. That position of hers was later taken by the Egyptian mother goddess Mut.
- With the progression of time the Egyptian goddess Hathor incorporated many of the functions of Wosret.
- As powerful deity, she was believed to protect the falcon-headed god Horus when he was young. This made her earn the epithet “Protector of the young”.
- Another very important weapon of hers was her powerful ax.
