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The goddess Meretseger

Meretseger was a local goddess of the Theban necropolis. Evidence of her cult is particularly strong during the New Kingdom.
She was depicted as a cobra, a cobra with a woman's head, or even a woman with a cobra's head. Occasionally she was depicted
as a scorpion with a female head.
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Ostrakon dedicated to Meretseger
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Deir el-Medina
20th dynasty
Limestone
Meretseger in the form of a coiled serpent in front of an offering table.
Cat. 1522
Museo Egizio Information and photos
Statue of the goddess Meretseger
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Deir el-Medina
19th - 20th dynasty
Limestone
Meretseger is depicted as a cobra with a face of a woman.
Old Fund (1824-1888)
Cat. 957
Museo Egizio Information and  photos
Both images © Museo Egizio, Turin
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2019-2020
The name Meretseger written in hieroglyphs
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literally means “She who loves silence”. She was thought to dwell on the 450-metre high pyramid shaped mountain that dominates the valley. Through this topographic connection she was sometimes also known as “The peak of the West” or “The Lady of the Peak”. (Shaw 1995, 184)
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Meretseger was worshipped throughout the Theban necropolis, but especially by the artisans of the village, which lay in a barren pocket in the western hills south-east of the Valley of the Kings (Reeves 1996, 22). The village is now called Deir el-Medina. The community of artisans carved and decorated the tombs of the New Kingdom kings. They worshipped a wide range of deities from national gods such as Osiris, Ptah and Hathor to deified kings and queens such as Amenhotep I and Queen Ahmose-Nefertari. They also worshipped Asian gods that became popular in Egypt after the kings' conquests in Asia - the war god Reshep and the fertility goddesses Kudshu, Anat and Astarte, who was also a goddess of love (Tvůrci hrobů 1992, 17).

But the ever-present danger of being bitten by the cobra, which was and still is plentiful in the Theban desert, made the worship of a snake a very important matter indeed. As in most cultures, the Egyptians regarded the snake as a source of evil and danger. Meretseger, the snake goddess, was worshipped in order to avert the danger posed by her physical manifestation. Prayers and offerings were made to her to prevent or cure snakebites (Shaw 1995, 262).
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The villagers had numerous small temples, chapels and shrines. Each individual chapel would have provided a local residence for the goddess and a place for offerings to her (Pharaoh's workers 1994, 90). The stelae dedicated to Meretseger did not come from the tombs of the villagers but from these small temples where they offered their devotions to her.
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One of the well-known votive stelae dedicated to Meretseger is that of Neferabu with a hymn to Meretseger. Neferabu was a moderately wealthy artist from Deir el-Medina who raised a large family and built a fine tomb for himself. The stela is part of a collection in the Turin Museum. Its number is 102. On the right side of the rectangular stela the goddess Meretseger is depicted as a snake with one human head and two snake heads standing in front of an offering. On the left side of the stela the hymn is written in 17 columns. It contains Neferabu's warning against Meretseger's powers. At the top of the hymn is Neferabu's thanks to Meretseger. Neferabu admits that he was ignorant and unwise, and that he could not distinguish between good and evil. He sinned against the Peak. He drew the punishment of the goddess. She had power over him. He promised to tell the workers to beware of the peak, for the lion dwells there. Now he understood that whoever sins against Meretseger will be persecuted. When he prayed to her, Meretseger came to Neferabu in the form of a sweet wind and forgave him. Again, he calls upon all ears to listen to his warning (Lexa,1920,280-281).
"The Peak, she strikes with the strike of a fierce lion when she is after the one who transgresses against her. I called out to my mistress and found her coming to me as a sweet wind, and she was merciful to me, after she let me see her hand. She turned to me in peace, and she made me forget the sickness that was in my heart. So the Peak of the West is merciful when one calls to her." (Lichtheim,1976,107-108).
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Images © Museo Egizio, Turin
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2020
Stela of Hay
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Hay's tomb no. 267 at Deir el-Medina

19th dynasty
Limestone
Another votive stela from the Turin Museum collection is the
one dedicated to the goddess Meretseger by a deputy named
Hay. Hay lived in Deir el-Medina during the reign of the 20th
dynasty king Ramesses III (Tosi,1972,289).

This round-topped stela bears a representation of Meretseger as a goddess with a female body and a cobra's head. The goddess Taweret standing beside her is depicted as a hippopotamus. Both goddesses have cow horns and sun discs on their heads. This shows a connection with the goddess Hathor, with whom Meretseger is often associated. The connection is related to the fact that in earlier times the pyramid mountain was sacred to Hathor (Reeves 1996, 17).
Cat. 1606
Museo Egizio Information and photos
Stele of Nebnefer
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Deir el-Medina
19th dynasty
Limestone
The stela is divided into 3 registers. In the upper section there are 2 wedjat eyes with a shen sign above 3 zigzag lines representing water.
The second, largest register is divided into 12 horizontal stripes. Each is occupied by a coloured snake facing to the right.
In the lower register, 3 columns of hieroglyphic text worship the goddess Meretseger: "life, strength and health to the ka and the lady of the house Wab, the justified." To the right of the text the deceased kneels with her hands raised in worship. She is wearing a white robe. A lotus flower is placed on her wig. Behind her head are 4 hieroglyphs forming the phrase "in peace". To the right of the scene is an offering table with a vessel flanked by a bouquet of lotus flowers. Below the table there are 2 vessels on pedestals.
The stela is framed by a narrow blue band in bas-relief. On the right side of the stela, starting halfway up, there is an inscription in black, flanked by two red vertical lines on each side, commemorating the "Servant of the Lord of the Two Lands in the Place (Seat) of Truth". Nebnefer and his son Pauebekhnu.
On the left side of the stela there is an inscription in black, also flanked by two red vertical lines, commemorating Nebnefer and his daughter Henutshenu.
Height: 27 cm
Width: 17 cm
Former Drovetti's collection

Cat. 1533 = CGT 50060
Museo Egizio Information and photos
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Images © Museo Egizio, Turin
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2020
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Ostrakon dedicated to Meretseger
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Deir el-Medina
19th dynasty
Limestone
Meretseger in the form of a coiled serpent in front of an  offering table
Height: 12 cm
Length: 17 cm
Drovetti's collection (1824)
Cat. 1659
Museo Egizio Information and photos
Images © Museo Egizio, Turin
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2019
Statue of Meretseger
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Deir el-Medina
19th - 20th dynasty (1292-1076 BC)
Limestone
Meretseger is depicted as a cobra with the face of a woman or a triple head (woman, snake and vulture).
Old Fund (1824-1888)
Cat. 956
Museo Egizio Information and photos
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Images © Museo Egizio, Turin
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2020
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Stela of Parahotep dedicated to Amun-Re of Ipet, Meretseger and Amenhotep I
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Deir el-Medina
19th dynasty
Painted limestone
Round-topped
Meretseger was the goddess of the pyramidal peak that overlooks the Theban necropolis. Her usual name was "she who loves silence". She was primarily worshipped by the workmen of Deir el-Medina.

Drovetti collection (1824)
Cat. 1451/bis

Museo Egizio Information and photos
Images © Museo Egizio, Turin
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2019
Stela dedicated to the goddess Meretseger by the draftsman Nebra
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Deir el-Medina
19th dynasty (1292-1190 BC)
Painted limestone
Drovetti collection (1824)
Cat. 1590
Museo Egizio Information and photos
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Stela dedicated to the goddess Meretseger by Pendua
Egyptian Museum, Turin
From Deir el-Medina
19th dynasty (1292-1190 BC)
Limestone
Old Fund (1824-1888)
Cat. 1564
Museo Egizio Information and photos
Images © Museo Egizio, Turin
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2019
Images © Museo Egizio, Turin
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2020
Amennakht's votive stela
British Museum EA 374
20th dynasty, about 1160 BC
From Deir el-Medina
Limestone
The stela records Amennakht's prayer to the local
goddess to remove an affliction "Praises for your spirit, Meretseger, Mistress of the West, by the scribe of the Place of Truth (st-maat), Amennakht true-of-voice; he says: 'Be praised in peace, O Lady of the West, Mistress who turns herself to grace! You made me see darkness in the day I shall declare Your power to other people. Be gracious to me in your grace!'"
(Translation from the Museum label)
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© The Trustees of the British Museum
Photograhy by Lenka Peacock
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Stela of Paneb
British Museum EA272
19th dynasty, circa 1195 BC
Limestone
Rectangular shape
Height: 19.3 cm
Width: 17 cm
In the upper register : Paneb, a foreman of the tomb workers, is depicted kneeling, worshipping the goddess Meretseger, who is in the form of a snake.
The coiled cobra is undoubtedly Meretseger, the goddess of the Theban necropolis.
The lower register : there are three kneeling male
figures, Paneb's descendants. On the right there is
Aapakhte, Paneb's son, together with his two sons -
Paneb and Nebmehyt. Aapakhte was accused of crimes as an accomplice of his father.
3 images © The Trustees of the British Museum
Photograhy by Steve Bayley 2005
Ostrakon of Khnummose
British Museum EA8510
Painted limestone
Black and red ink
Height: 16.5 cm
Figured ostrakon showing the workman Khnummose worshipping the serpent form of the goddess Meretseger.
Jac Janssen suggested that this ostrakon had been used as a stela and that the work was not finished.
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Stela of Paneb
British Museum EA273
19th dynasty, circa 1195 BC
Limestone
Round-topped
Height: 20 cm
Width: 13 cm
Top register : kneeling Paneb depicted worshipping Meretseger in the form of a cobra headed goddess. Meretseger is seated on the throne.
Lower register: Paneb's sons Aapakhte and Hadnakht are shown kneeling and worshiping.
Stela dedicated to Meretseger
UC14439
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL
Found at Thebes, probably from Deir el-Medina
19th dynasty, 1295-1186 BC)
Limestone
Width: 14 cm
Height: 7.5 cm
Upper part of a votive stela showing a coiled cobra with two feathers on its head. The name of the worshipper is illegible in the hieroglyphic inscription, the rest reads 'beloved of the goddess Meretseger'.
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2 images © Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL
Photography Lenka Peacock
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Ostrakon of Meretseger
UC33812
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL
New Kingdom, 1550-1350 BC
Possibly from Deir el-Medina
Limestone
Black ink
Drawing of a serpent - a rearing cobra - in front of an offering table/vase/metal stand. The hood of the cobra is dilated and patterned. The base line is indicated.
The stand resembles metal stands for vases found in
Theban tombs. This form of stand appears on coffins, generally under the offering table depiction.
Height: 7.3 cm
Width: 9.4 cm
Stela to Meretseger
Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection
Inv AE_INV_122
From Deir el-Medina
New Kingdom, 19th-20th dynasty
Limestone, painted
Height: 20.7 cm
Width: 14.2 cm
Thickness: 3.3 cm
Meretseger was the goddess associated with the pyramidal top of
al-Qurn. She presided over the entire Theban necropolis. Her name
means "she who loves silence". Meretseger was mainly worshipped by the craftsmen of the royal necropolis.
The upper register: remains of a male figure standing on the right
in front of an offering table. Meretseger, who is
depicted as a goddess with a female body and the head of a cobra, is seated on her
on her throne on the left side of the table, holding an ankh in her right hand and a
in her right hand and a sceptre in her left hand. The inscription reads
"Merest[sic]eger, Mistress of the West. Made by the apprentice
Sha[...?]"

The lower register: the ten snakes represent the cobra goddess
Meretseger. Only seven snakes are visible, because the stela is in a
fragments - the lower left part is broken off.
Provenance: 1824 [1821] gift of Carlo Antonio Fontana
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2 images © Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna
Photography Lenka Peacock
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Figured ostrakon of the goddess Meretseger
Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection
Inv AE_INV_8304
New Kingdom
19th-20th dynasty, about 1315-1081 BC
From Deir el-Medina (probably)
Painted limestone
Height: 11.3 cm
Length:  16.6 cm
Thickness: 2.9 cm
This piece of limestone depicts the goddess Meretseger in the form of a coiled snake in front of an offering table, flanked on either side by a jug with an entwined lotus on a stand. Her headdress consists of two tall feathers and a sun disc. Three tall papyrus stems lean over the back of the snake.
Provenance: 1948 Purchase
The votive stelae from Deir el-Medina came from several small temples where the villagers had offered their devotions. The themes of the hymns and prayers are crime and punishment, repentance and forgiveness. These stelae are unusual because their texts do not show the pride of texts from other parts of Egypt. Their central concerns are humility and repentance. In the example of the stela of Neferabu, Meretseger is praised and worshipped in the traditional manner of the hymn and also prayed to in specific and personal terms. These personal prayers are an expression of the self-awareness of the individual person that comes to fruition in the New Kingdom. The personal piety of the Deir el-Medina prayers is not an isolated phenomenon of the developed individualism of the New Kingdom. Another example of conscious individualism can be found in the love poems preserved on Ramesside papyri (Lichtheim 1976, 104).          

In the workers' village of Deir el-Medina many shrines were erected to Meretseger. From all the archaeological evidence it seems that for the ancient people living in the Theban necropolis the local goddess Meretseger was at least as important as the great god of the dead, Osiris (Pharaoh's Workers 1994, 90).

The cobra inspired awe through fear of its potential to cause great harm. It is difficult to distinguish between Meretseger as a local goddess for the necropolis and as a personal goddess for the people who lived and worked among the rocks where cobras might hide (Watterson 1984, 35).
Sources:
1. Shaw, Ian, Nicholson, Paul: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt
London: British Museum Press, 1995.
2. Reeves, Nicholas: The complete Valley of the Kings : tombs and treasure of Egypt's greatest pharaohs.
London : Thames and Hudson, 1996.
3. Tvůrci hrobů egyptských králů : Jaroslav Černý a Dér el-Medina
Praha : Náprstkovo museum, 1992.
4. Pharaoh's workers : the villagers of Deir el-Medina / edited by Leonard H. Lesko
Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1994.
5. Lichtheim, M.: Ancient Egyptian literature. Vol. II: The New Kingdom
Berkeley : University of California Press, 1976.
6. Lexa, Fr.: Náboženská literatura staroegyptská. Dil I a II
Kladno : Nákladem J. Snajdra, 1920.
7. Museo Egizio, English
Turin : Fondazione Museo delle Antichità Egizie di Torino, 2019.
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