Serket

Serket /ˈsɜːrˌkɛt/, also known as Selket, Serqet or Selcis /ˈsɛlsᵻs/, is the goddess of fertility, nature, animals, medicine, magic, and healing venomous stings and bites in Egyptian mythology, originally the deification of the scorpion.

Scorpion stings lead to paralysis and Serket's name describes this, as it means (she who) tightens the throat, however, Serket's name also can be read as meaning (she who) causes the throat to breathe, and so, as well as being seen as stinging the unrighteous, Serket was seen as one who could cure scorpion stings and the effects of other venoms such as snake bites.

In Ancient Egyptian art, Serket was shown as a scorpion (a symbol found on the earliest artifacts of the culture, such as the protodynastic period), or as a woman with a scorpion on her head. Although Serket does not appear to have had any temples, she had a sizable number of priests in many communities.

The most dangerous species of scorpion resides in North Africa, and its sting may kill, so Serket was considered a highly important goddess, and was sometimes considered by pharaohs to be their patron. Her close association with the early kings implies that she was their protector, two being referred to as the scorpion kings.

Serket (journal)

Serket, The Arachnological Bulletin of the Middle East and North Africa, is a biannual peer-reviewed scientific journal on arachnology. It was established in August 1987 in Egypt, taking its name from the ancient Egyptian for a scorpion.

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in:

References

External links