Sekhmet worshipped & offering 15"x12" Handmade, Hand-painted Papyrus, ancient Egyptian art Frameable

Sekhmet is an ancient Egyptian goddess of war who is renowned for her immense might. Indeed, her name comes from the Egyptian word for power, Sekhem. Sekhmet is the goddess of healing and of war and destruction. Due to her volatile nature, many Egyptians came to recognise Sekhmet as the representation of natural disasters, too. As a powerful figure, she was seen as a pharaonic protector, with many pharaohs seeking her guidance in times of conflict. The cult centre of Sekhmet was in Memphis. Here, she was revered as a powerful warrior and destroyer, and respect was given to her unison with the creator, Ptah. Her children were Nefertem, the representation of the first sun and nice smells, and Maahes, a lion-headed god of war. Sekhmet is usually depicted as a one of the many Egyptian deities with animal heads. In this case, Sekhmet had the head of a lioness and the body of a woman. She holds a sun disk on her head with an Uraeus (upright Egyptian cobra) encircling it. Usually, Sekhmet is illustrated carrying a staff and the ankh of life in each hand. In art, she is usually shown dressed in red, symbolizing the color of blood, though she is also often displayed naked in statuettes. In this depiction Sekhmet is offered the lotus flower & the papyrus plant both essential in all ancient Egyptian ritualistic offerings. Sekhmet has a dedicated shrine in the Karnak temple complex in Luxor Egypt were visitors can till now marvel at the mystery of one of ancient Egypt's most powerful goddesses.