When the predynastic kingdom of Upper Egypt conquered the Lower Egyptian kingdom and the two crowns were unified, it was natural that the principal deities of the conquerors should accompany them and extend their realms accordingly. One of these deities was the vulture-goddess Nekhbet, whose sanctuary lay at Nekheb (Elkhab) on the east bank of the Nile, across from Nekhen (Hierakonpolis), the capital of the Upper Egyptian kings, whose patron god was Horus. Very probably it was the geographical proximity of Nekheb to the capital that first made it desirable for the local rulers to recognize the goddess; in return for their recognition they received her protection.
From local goddess of a predynastic town to the goddess of Upper Egypt, Nekhbet became one of Egypt's symbols. From the personal protector of the pharaoh and she who bestowed the white crown to the pharaoh, she became the symbol of rulership in ancient Egypt. And from the wet nurse of pharaoh to the guardian of mothers and infants, she took on the role of protector, she moved from the pharaoh's own goddess to one who looked after mothers and children through the whole land. She was worshiped as a goddess as well as being the personification of the south, the vulture goddess who was one half of a manifestation of the idea of duality that was a basis of ma'at for as long as the pharaohs ruled Egypt. She was more than just a goddess - she was half of the land of Egypt itself.
From Tour Egypt website: In Southern Africa, the name for an Egyptian vulture is synonymous with the term applied to lovers, for vultures like pigeons are always seen in pairs. Thus mother and child remain closely bonded together. Pairing, bonding, protecting, loving are essential attributes associated with a vulture. Because of its immense size and power and its ability to sore high up in the sky, the vulture is considered to be nearer to God who is believed to reside above the sky. Thus the qualities of a vulture are associated with Godliness. On the other hand the wide wingspan of a vulture may be seen as all encompassing and providing a protective cover to its infants. The vulture when carrying out its role as a mother and giving protection to its infants may exhibit a forceful nature whilst defending her young. All these qualities inspired the imagination of the Ancient Egyptians. They adopted what seemed to them at the time to be motherly qualities, the qualities of protecting and nurturing their young. -- Ma-Wetu, The Kiswahili-Bantu Research Unit for the Advancement of the Ancient Egyptian Language
Royal Tomb of Amenhotep III (1391 BC) KV 22 at Malqata, father of Akhenaten
King's bedroom, reconstruction of the ceiling painting
One of the most remarkable motifs is a succession of great vultures representing the Goddess Nekhbet outspreading the wings, under each of which the names and titles of Amenhotep III are depicted. The succession of vultures is surrounded by geometrical patterns on each side. This motif has been found at Rooms B, G, H, and the King's bedchamber in the Main Palace.
Amarna (1332 BC)
Amarna was the short-lived capital built by the Pharaoh Akhenaten and abandoned shortly after his death.
Tomb of Tutankhamun (1324 BC)
The innermost layers of Tutankhamun's mummy wrappings contained his personal possessions. This necklace was suspended from his neck in the eleventh or twelfth layer, close to the mummy, and therefore very probably it was a piece that he had worn during his lifetime.
The flexible gold collar, which represents the vulture-goddess Nekhbet, was placed on the thorax of the king's mummy so that it covered the whole of the chest and extended upwards to the shoulders, her wings spread in protection while holding the shen (shn) symbol of eternity in her talons, like his grandfather's Amenhotep III painting (see above).
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Posts: 1549 | From: California, USA | Registered: Jan 2006
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Let's not forget also that the vulture is nature's garbage disposal, picking clean the carcasses of dead creatures. Using the vulture as a symbol of eternity is a play on the idea of the natural forces of life, death, decay and renewal as well. The idea of the vulture protecting the body of the king from decay as opposed to devouring it is a play on this concept.
Posts: 8896 | Registered: May 2005
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^ This seemingly contradictory aspect of religious belief can also be seen in the deity Anupu (Anubis) who is symbolized by the jackal. Jackals are also notorious scavengers yet this creature was chosen as the totem for the god who presided over the recently deceased and even embalming.
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