Seshat's emblem

The ancient Egyptian Seshat emblem hieroglyph is one of the oldest hieroglyphs from Ancient Egypt. An "archaic" form of it was used on the Narmer Palette of Pharaoh Narmer. It represents the goddess Seshat in later classical Ancient Egypt, as the goddess is identified with it, surmounted on her head.

eshat emblem

In classical Ancient Egypt, the Seshat Emblem was a long stem with a 7-petal flower on top and surmounted by a pair of horns; the archaic form had six petals, (as a vertical, with two crossed lines, as a 'star'), and surmounted by two enclosing sickle-shaped signs, two falcon-feathers on top.

The Seshat emblem in egyptian is the name of Seshat, (sš3t), and is "seshat", or "sesheta". As the origin of her name is related to the male scribe, and she represents the female version, it is thought her origins also involve the stars, and ancient Egyptian astronomy. Of note: the word "sesheta" means, "hidden things, mysteries, secrets", so the implication is that the Pharaoh is being given access to the power of those mysteries through Goddess Seshat.

Iconographic example, Goddess Seshat

One famous example of the iconographic use of the Seshat's emblem is from Pharaoh, and Queen Hatshepsut's Red Chapel.

ee also

*Gardiner's Sign List#R. Temple Furniture and Sacred Emblems

References

*Budge. "An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary," E.A.Wallace Budge, (Dover Publications), c 1978, (c 1920), Dover edition, 1978. (In two volumes) (softcover, ISBN 0-486-23615-3)