Also called Sesheta, Safekh-Aubi, Mistress of the House of Books.
Their story
Seshat was the goddess of writing and measurement, often shown as Thoth's female counterpart or companion. She wore a leopard skin and a headdress of a star or rosette beneath a curved bow, and she notched a palm rib to count the years of the king's reign. In the stretching the cord ceremony she and the king marked out the plan of a new temple with pegs and rope. She was also said to keep the libraries of the gods.
Best times to give to them
- before writing or study
- the laying of a foundation
- Wepet Renpet
What they like being given
- ink and a new pen
- incense
- water
- bread
How to honour them
- Dedicate a notebook or journal to her.
- Ask her blessing before measuring out a garden, a room or a building.
How they can help you
- writing
- study and record keeping
- planning and measuring
- memory
Symbols
- seven-pointed star or rosette beneath a bow
- leopard skin robe
- notched palm rib
- reed pen
She had no known temple of her own and appears mainly in royal and temple reliefs.
Sources
- Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
- Hart, The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
More Egyptian goddesses
- Isis Great of Magic, mother of Horus
- Bastet Protector of the home, lady of joy
- Hathor The Golden One, lady of love and music
- Sekhmet The Powerful One, healer and protector
- Maat Truth, balance and right order
- Nephthys Lady of the House, comforter of the grieving
- Taweret The Great One, guardian of mothers
- Amunet The hidden goddess of the primordial eight