Goddess Taweret

Goddess Taweret name

Goddess Taweret

Goddess Taweret was a house deity,  Taweret  the  pregnant  hippopotamus goddess  was  the  patron  of  pregnant  women.  She helped  in  childbirth  and  observed  over  young children.  Because  of  her  cool  nature  and  kindly disposition,  she  was  a  favorite  family  goddess. Amulets in the shape of the goddess were raised by  the  hundreds  and  broken  by  pregnant  women. Small  figurines  of  Taweret  were  often  kept  in home  shrines.  It  was  thought  that  her  fierce show the head of a river horse, the arms and legs of a feline, the tail of a crocodile, and long flat breasts would ward off any evil spirits and  keep  the  women  and  children  of  the  house safe.  Stone  vases  were  engraved  in  her  image  with  a perforation at one of her nipples so that milk could be streamed from the vase while magical spells were recited  to  cure  children  stung  by  scorpions.  Her name way the great one and her attribute is the SA sign, a restrictive sign in the shape of a papyrus life preserver used by boaters, held in her left paw. The Greek writer Plutarch says she was the concubine of the evil god Set but that she eventually deserted him for Horus the falcon god.