Who the Goddess Meretseger is
Meretseger was a local goddess specially restricted in the region of Thebes. She was a funerary goddess who was mainly worshipped by the tomb workers. She was believed to be a protective deity in the royal tombs of Thebes.
Meaning of the Name ‘Meretseger’
The meaning of the name ‘Meretseger’ is ‘she who loves silence’. The reason behind this title can be traced in her nature of protecting tombs silently and not wanting to be disturbed by anyone. Thus, she was also known as the goddess of lonely.
Iconography of Meretseger
Meretseger is generally represented as a coiled serpent. Sometimes, she is represented by a head of women or in the combination of the body of a woman and the head of a snake.
Occasionally, she is represented as a scorpion with a female head. Sometimes, she is also shown wearing a disk with horns on her head.
The function of the Goddess
The main function of Meretseger was believed to look after and protect the royal tombs in the region of Thebes. She was also believed to be the protector of tomb workers. She was believed to spat poisons on the thieves who dared to enter any tomb and try to vandalize it.
Mount Meretseger
Mount Meretseger is basically a pyramid-shaped mountain on which’s peak she was believed to stay. Previously, this mountain was called ‘Al-Qurn’. It was believed that Mount Meresteger looked after the tombs of the Pharaohs in the Valley of Kings.
Connection with the Tomb Workers
Meretseger was believed to be a patron deity of the tomb workers of the village of Deir-el-Medina, who built the tombs in the Valley of kings. To these workers, she was known as ‘the lady of the peak’. Tombs workers praised Meretseger in order to get out of danger of being bitten by a cobra in the Theban desert region.
Cult of Meretseger
On the basis of archaeological evidence, one thing can be assumed undoubtedly that Meretseger was basically a local funerary goddess. Her worship was not present in the whole of Egypt. Her worship was mainly restricted to the region of Thebes. During the New Kingdom, her worship comes into prominence.
A number of stelae dedicated to her have been found in the workers’ village of Deir-el-Medina. Generally, Meretseger was believed to give punishment to those who were guilty of crimes. But, many stelae show also the forgiveness nature of the goddess.
