Serket /ˈsɜːrˌkɛt/ (

Ancient Egyptian Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

: ''srqt'') is the

goddess A goddess is a female deity. In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. For example, Shaktism (one of the three major Hinduism, Hindu sects), holds that the ultimate deity, the source of all re ...

of protection against the venomous stings and bites of scorpions in

Egyptian mythology Egyptian mythology is the collection of myths from ancient Egypt, which describe the actions of the Egyptian pantheon, Egyptian gods as a means of understanding the world around them. The beliefs that these myths express are an important part ...

. She was primarily worshiped in

Lower Egypt Lower Egypt ( ') is the northernmost region of Egypt, which consists of the fertile Nile Delta between Upper Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, from El Aiyat, south of modern-day Cairo, and Dahshur. Historically, the Nile River split into sev ...

during the

Predynastic Period Prehistoric Egypt and Predynastic Egypt was the period of time starting at the first human settlement and ending at the First Dynasty of Egypt around 3100 BC. At the end of prehistory, "Predynastic Egypt" is traditionally defined as the period ...

(c. 6000 – c. 3150 BCE). Serket is often depicted as a woman whose head is surmounted by a scorpion with its tail is ready to sting, an

ankh The ankh or key of life is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol used to represent the word for "life" and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself. The ankh has a T-shape topped by a droplet-shaped loop. It was used in writing as a tri ...

in one hand, and a ''was-''sceptre in her other. Her name, also rendered as Serqet, Selkis, or Selket, is a shortened version of 'Serket hetyt' which means "she who causes the throat to breathe."

Old Kingdom

Name and Roles

She is associated with healing, magic, and protection. Another interpretation of her name is, 'she who gives breath.' As many of the venomous creatures of Egypt could prove fatal, Serket was considered a protector of the dead, particularly being associated with venoms and fluids that cause stiffening. It has been suggested that Serket's identification with a scorpion may be a misinterpretation of the phrase, 'she who gives breath'; it is possible that it could refer not to a scorpion, but rather a

water scorpion Nepidae is a family of exclusively aquatic Heteropteran insects in the order Hemiptera. They are commonly called water scorpions for their superficial resemblance to scorpions, due to their raptorial forelegs and the presence of a long slender p ...

(

Nepidae Nepidae is a family of exclusively aquatic Heteropteran insects in the order Hemiptera. They are commonly called water scorpions for their superficial resemblance to scorpions, due to their raptorial forelegs and the presence of a long slender p ...

). According to this hypothesis, the meaning behind Serket's name refers to the way water scorpions can breathe underwater. She was seen as one who could cure scorpion stings and the effects of other venoms such as

snakebites A snakebite is an injury caused by the bite of a snake, especially a venomous snake. A common sign of a bite from a venomous snake is the presence of two puncture wounds from the animal's fangs. Sometimes venom injection from the bite may oc ...

. As such, Serket was often said to protect the deities from

Apep Apophis (; ), also known as Apep () or Aphoph (, ) Erman, Adolf, and Hermann Grapow, eds. 1926–1953. ''Wörterbuch der aegyptischen Sprache im Auftrage der deutschen Akademien''. 6 vols. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs'schen Buchhandlungen. (Re ...

, the great

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

-demon of evil. During the

Old Kingdom In ancient Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom is the period spanning –2200 BC. It is also known as the "Age of the Pyramids" or the "Age of the Pyramid Builders", as it encompasses the reigns of the great pyramid-builders of the Fourth Dynast ...

she held a protective role around the throne of the king. However, her primary role was with the funerary cult. She was said to be the protector of the tents of

embalmers Embalming is the art and science of preserving human remains by treating them with embalming chemicals in modern times to forestall decomposition. This is usually done to make the deceased suitable for viewing as part of the funeral ceremony or ...

and is one of the tutelary goddesses depicted on the

canopic chest Canopic chests are cases used by ancient Egyptians to contain the internal organs removed during the process of mummification. Once canopic jars began to be used in the late Fourth Dynasty, the jars were placed within canopic chests. Although th ...

which contains four

canopic jars Canopic jars are funerary vessels that were used by the ancient Egyptians to house embalmed organs that were removed during the mummification process. They also served to store and preserve the viscera of their soul for the afterlife. Use of t ...

. Qebehsenuef, is said to guard the canopic jars and it is Serket's job to protect him along with

Neith Neith (, a borrowing of the Demotic (Egyptian), Demotic form , also spelled Nit, Net, or Neit) was an ancient Egyptian deity, possibly of Ancient Libya, Libyan origin. She was connected with warfare, as indicated by her emblem of two crossed b ...

Isis Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...

, and

Nephthys Nephthys or Nebet-Het in ancient Egyptian () was a goddess in ancient Egyptian religion. A member of the Great Ennead of Heliopolis in Egyptian mythology, she was a daughter of Nut and Geb. Nephthys was typically paired with her sister Isis ...

. This role also coined her the title of 'Mistress of the beautiful house,' referring to the embalming pavilion. Eventually, Serket began to be identified with

, sharing imagery and parentage, until finally, Serket was said to be merely an aspect of Isis, whose cult had become dominant.

Middle Kingdom

During the Middle Kingdom, Egyptian myth says that Serket's help is required in the Underworld where according to th
Book of the Two Ways
she guards a twist in the pathway. She is also given credit for binding and containing the snake deity,

Apophis Apophis (; ), also known as Apep () or Aphoph (, ) Erman, Adolf, and Hermann Grapow, eds. 1926–1953. ''Wörterbuch der aegyptischen Sprache im Auftrage der deutschen Akademien''. 6 vols. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs'schen Buchhandlungen. (Re ...

(or Apep).

New Kingdom

Serket was thought to be one of the mother goddesses and was given the title, 'Serket the great, the divine mother.' According to history of the Near East, the scorpion was often seen as a symbol of motherhood. As early as the

, Serket is said to have nursed the king. In the

New Kingdom New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

records of the birth of

Amenophis III Amenhotep III ( , ; "Amun is satisfied"), also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent or Amenhotep the Great and Hellenized as Amenophis III, was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. According to different authors following the "Low Chronol ...

(or Amenhotep III) in the

Luxor Temple The Luxor Temple () is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes (Egypt), Thebes) and was constructed approximately 1400 BCE. In the Egyptian language it was ...

, and in the mortuary temple of

Hatshepsut Hatshepsut ( ; BC) was the sixth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, Egypt, ruling first as regent, then as queen regnant from until (Low Chronology) and the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Thutmose II. She was Egypt's second c ...

, Serket is seen with

assisting the god

Amun Amun was a major ancient Egyptian deity who appears as a member of the Hermopolitan Ogdoad. Amun was attested from the Old Kingdom together with his wife Amunet. His oracle in Siwa Oasis, located in Western Egypt near the Libyan Desert, r ...

and the queen in the marriage bed. She has also appeared with

in the myth of the birth of

Horus Horus (), also known as Heru, Har, Her, or Hor () in Egyptian language, Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and t ...

where the two goddesses assisted

in protecting the infant god from the bites or stings of deadly animals. In the same myth, Isis and her unborn child are protected by seven scorpions said to be emanations of Serket.

Dedications and rituals

The cult of Serket is known to have existed from at least the First Dynasty, and is attested on a funerary stela from

Saqqara Saqqara ( : saqqāra ), also spelled Sakkara or Saccara in English , is an Egyptian village in the markaz (county) of Badrashin in the Giza Governorate, that contains ancient burial grounds of Egyptian royalty, serving as the necropolis for ...

. The majority of her worship was seen during the

. She is not known to have had any temples erected in her honor, yet she was an important goddess to the kings of the

, particularly

Scorpion I Scorpion I () was a ruler of Upper Egypt during Naqada III. He was one of the first rulers of Ancient Egypt, and a graffito of him depicts a battle with an unidentified predynastic ruler. His tomb is known for the evidence of early examples of wi ...

and

Scorpion II Scorpion II (Ancient Egyptian: possibly Selk or Weha), also known as King Scorpion, was a ruler during the Protodynastic Period of Upper Egypt (). Identity Name King Scorpion's name and title are of great dispute in modern Egyptology. ...

, for her protection against the deadly, venomous animals of Lower Egypt. In January 2025, a group of French-Swiss

archaeologists Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

discovered the tomb of the chief palace physician in

, named Tetinebefou. In his temple there is reference to the goddess Serket in that Tetinebefou was said to be the 'director of medicinal plants and conjurer of the goddess Serket.' Aside from this discovery, and although Serket is said to have powers that can be utilized by the living for healing venomous bites, she is rarely included in spells concerning scorpion stings.

Family

Little is known of her genealogy, but she is sometimes credited as the daughter of

and

Khnum Khnum, also romanised Khnemu (; , ), was one of the earliest-known Egyptian deities in Upper Egypt, originally associated with the Nile cataract. He held the responsibility of regulating the annual inundation of the river, emanating from the ca ...

, making her a sister to

Sobek Sobek (), also known as Suchus (), was an ancient Egyptian deities, ancient Egyptian deity with a complex and elastic history and nature. He is associated with the Nile crocodile and is often represented as a crocodile-headed humanoid, if not a ...

and

. Some myths depict her as the mother of

Nehebu-Kau Nehebkau (also spelled Nehebu-Kau) was the primordial snake god in ancient Egyptian mythology. Although originally considered an evil spirit, he later functions as a funerary god associated with the afterlife. As one of the forty-two assessors ...

Gallery

File:Egyptian - Figure of Isis-Serget as Scorpion - Walters 54546 - Side A (cropped).jpg, Late Period bronze figure of Isis-Serket File:Serket Scorpion Goddess Edfu Temple.jpg, Serket and her scorpion, Edfu Temple File:Serket Tomb of Nefetari.png, Serket as seen in the Tomb of Nefertari