Wadjet, known by various names such as Wadjyt, Uto, and Buto, was one of the earliest deities in ancient Egypt. Her worship can be traced back to the Predynastic Period, evolving in significance over time. Initially revered as the local goddess of Buto (Per-Wadjet), her role expanded to that of the patron deity of Lower Egypt. By the close of the Predynastic Period, she was increasingly seen as the embodiment of Lower Egypt rather than a standalone goddess, commonly depicted alongside her sister Nekhbet, the goddess of Upper Egypt. Together, they symbolized the unified nation, represented in the term “nebty,” indicating that the pharaoh ruled both regions of Egypt. The earliest instance of the nebty name is linked to King Anedjib from the First Dynasty.
Wadjet’s mythology attributes her with the creation of the first papyrus plant and the primordial swamp. This connection is highlighted through her name, which is inscribed using a papyrus plant glyph—the official emblem of Lower Egypt. Another myth presents her as the daughter of Atum (or later Ra), sent as his “eye” to locate Tefnut (moisture) and Shu (air) when they became lost in the chaotic waters of Nun. Atum’s joy upon their return led to his tears creating the first humans. To honor Wadjet, he placed her on his head as a cobra to ensure her constant proximity and protective influence.
Wadjet was one of the deities entitled “Eye of Ra,” a designation shared with goddesses like Bast, Hathor, Sekhmet, and Tefnut. The emblematic “Eye of Ra” was frequently referred to as “the Wedjat.” In this aspect, she was tasked with avenging her father, which nearly resulted in the ruin of humanity. It was through a clever ruse involving dyed beer that humanity was spared, as Wadjet was deceived into believing it was blood.
Additionally, Wadjet is thought to have a strong association with Ma’at, symbolizing justice and balance. A pivotal story involves Geb assaulting his mother Tefnut; when he attempted to crown himself pharaoh, Wadjet retaliated, leading to the demise of his followers and heavy injury for him, reflecting her commitment to justice.
While often perceived as a fierce goddess, Wadjet also exhibited nurturing qualities. She was believed to support Isis in caring for the infant Horus, helping them evade Set’s threats in the delta’s marshes. Her protective nature extended to all women during childbirth and to the adult Horus against Set’s followers. In the iconography, Horus is represented as a winged sun disk, with Wadjet and Nekhbet providing him cover as crowned serpents. This protective symbolism was also adopted by pharaohs who wore the “Royal Ureas,” signifying their divine guardianship.
From the Eighteenth Dynasty onward, royal women commonly adorned their headdresses with added snakes, symbolic of either Wadjet or her sister. Wadjet was affiliated with specific days in the Egyptian calendar, including the fifth hour on the fifth day and during the harvest month, Epipi. Noteworthy festivals in her honor included days in Mekhir and Payni, closely aligned with solstices.
Her main worship site was the Temple of Wadjet in Pe-Dep, revered since the Old Kingdom and mentioned in the Pyramid Texts, linking her with Horus. Furthermore, she was sometimes viewed as Hapi’s consort in Lower Egypt while having ties to Set in his Lower Egypt representation. However, she was also associated with Ptah as his wife and shed light upon Nefertem, likely due to her occasional lion form akin to Sekhmet.
Wadjet’s sacred animal was the cobra, portrayed as either a raised or winged cobra or as a woman adorned with a cobra head. She frequently appears alongside her sister Nekhbet, depicted sometimes as a snake. In the Late Period, Wadjet became associated with the ichneumon, celebrated for its prowess in snake hunting and esteemed as sacred to Horus. Egyptians mummified ichneumons and shrews and placed them in statuettes of Wadjet for burial rituals, representing the rhythmic cycle of day and night. Moreover, she was worshipped as a vulture goddess and, in the guise of the “eye of Ra,” was visually represented as a lion-headed woman adorned with a solar disc and the Uraeus.
