Striking Cobra, Spitting Fire – Kasia Szpakowska
Firstly many thank to Kasia performing under difficult circumstances, the venue was changed with minutes to go and we lost the projector for a few seconds half way through, nothing fazed her. Secondly I had no light for note taking so it was tricky but I did my best. Corrections welcome as always.
The cobra was an important symbol throughout Egyptian history. One of the earliest representations shows King Den of Dynasty 1 with a cobra or uraeus on his brow. However in the early times it does not seem to have a cult associated with it. The same image is show on Tutankamun’s death mask and an image of Emperor Hadrian Ad 133-134, so a huge span as an emblem but actual worship seems to be confined to a smaller period.
The cobra is associated with a variety of female deities Wadjet the delta/Lower Egypt lady and Meretsegner, the rearing cobra associated with Thebes.
Although snakes are abudndant in Egypt they are not worshipped in themselves. However they do appear twine as hieroglyphics both f the horned viper and dj the cobra. Aside of symbols is there any evidence of cult worship. We see the king pouring libations to gods and non royal like the lady pouring a libation to her ancestor but do we see any evidence of anyone worshiping a cobra.
For the rest of Jane's notes see the above page.
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