DEITY OF THE DAY TAWERET-EGYPTIAN GODDESS OF FERTILITY Taweret was an Egyptian goddess of fertility and childbirth. She is portrayed as having the head of a hippopotamus, and often appears with parts of the lioness and crocodile as well -- all things the Egyptians feared greatly. In some areas, Taweret took on the form of a female demon, because she was the wife of Apep, a god of evil. She was known as a protector of pregnant women and those in labor, and it wasn’t uncommon for a woman about to give birth to make offerings to Taweret. In later periods, Taweret had the full breasts and swollen belly of a pregnant woman, but maintained her hippopotamus head. She carried an ankh - the symbol of eternal life - and often wields a knife, which is used to fight away spirits that might harm a newborn infant or its mother. Unlike many Egyptian deities, who are associated with pharaohs and kingship, Taweret was a household goddess. )O(kelley
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 17:30:01 +0000
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