Neith
𓈖𓏏𓋌𓁐 𓈖𓏏𓋋 𓈖𓏏𓌖 𓋋 𓈖𓏏𓋋𓆎 𓈖𓏏𓋌 𓈖𓏏𓋋𓆗 𓋌 𓈖𓏏𓋋𓁐 𓏏𓏏𓋌
Meaning of her name
Her name possibly means:
"She belonging to Lower Egypt"
"terror", "fear", "terrible one"
Epithets
The father of fathers, mother of mothers
Enduring of love
The divine mother who protects Horus
Lady of the West
Neith who shines from the Akhet
Chief of the Nine Bows
Mighty of rage
Foremost of Per-netjer
Areas of worship
Esna. Ḥwt-Nt, or known as the Temple of Neith. Her and Khnum's temples were called Ḥwt-B3w , or the Temple of the Souls.
Temple of Neith at Satis
Offerings
Bow and arrows
Lapis lazuli
Turquoise
Jasper
Meat
Bread
Beer
Honey
Wine
Water
Spider web iconography
Knitting tools, yarn, fabrics
A loom
Information
Neith had emerged from the primordial waters, turning into a cow and then a *lates* fish. From there she brought thirty gods out of the primordial waters and raised the “High Mound” for her and her children. She possesses the power to control everything within the cosmos through thought, speech and names. She’s associated with weaving, with weaving being a symbol of the cosmic order and her divine wisdom. Her association with weaving, led her to being associated with making the bandages for the dead, but she herself had created the Duat for the deceased to pass through. She would enliven the dead and protect them during the passage through the underworld with her bow and arrows, which was a trademark symbol for the Great Goddess. Her symbol of the bow and arrows made her a goddess of hunting, later becoming war, and protector of her son, Re. She is the patroness of victorious weapons and would protect both the dead and alive from enemies or those who sought to harm the King and his heirs. Even when those she protected were harmed, you could seek her for her ability to heal.
Bibliography and more notes posted here
K. Sethe has proposed her name may have been Nr.t, which would translate to “the terrifying.” [3]
Image from:
Invocation to Neith – Leaping Laughter – O.T.O.
