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Serqet: The Scorpion Goddess of Healing, Magic, and Protection

Discover the paradox of Serqet, the ancient Egyptian scorpion goddess who transformed deadly venom into divine protection. This guide explores her dual nature as both a fierce warrior who guarded Isis and the infant Horus, and a benevolent healer invoked by physicians to cure stings. Learn about her vital role in the afterlife as the guardian of the Canopic Jars and her famous golden appearance in the tomb of Tutankhamun.
  • Updated: November 20, 2025

Imagine walking through the ancient Egyptian desert. One of your greatest fears would be the sudden, agonizing sting of a scorpion. Yet, the Egyptians, masters of paradox, didn’t just fear this venomous creature; they worshipped it. Enter Serqet Goddess (also known as Selket or Serket). She was the scorpion goddess, a deity who embodied a profound Egyptian belief: to control a danger, you must first embrace its power. She represented the ultimate duality—she who could cause the deadly sting, and she who could miraculously cure it.

This guide explores the enigmatic origins of Serqet, her iconic imagery, her crucial role in the myth of Isis protecting the infant Horus, and her status as both the patron of physicians and a vital guardian in the afterlife.

Key Takeaways

  • Name Meaning: “She who causes the throat to breathe” (healer) or “She who tightens the throat” (killer).
  • Iconography: A woman with a scorpion on her head, or a scorpion with a woman’s head.
  • Key Myth: She sent seven scorpions to protect the pregnant Isis from Seth.
  • Funerary Role: She protects one of the four Canopic Jars (the intestines, guarded by Qebehsenuef).
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Serqet Goddess: Identity & Iconography

Identity & Iconography; She Who Causes the Throat to Breathe

She Who Causes the Throat to Breathe! Serqet’s identity is deeply intertwined with the very creature she commands. Her name and appearance reveal much about her powerful and protective nature.

The Name: A Divine Paradox

Her Egyptian name, Srq-ht, is a clever pun that encapsulates her dual power. It can be translated as both “She who causes the throat to breathe” and “She who tightens the throat.” This perfectly reflects the experience of a scorpion sting—the initial constriction and agony, followed by the miraculous relief of healing. Serqet was the mistress of both the venom and its cure.

Visuals: The Scorpion Crown

Unlike many other animal-headed deities, Serqet is typically depicted as a beautiful human woman. Her distinguishing feature is a stylized scorpion resting on her head. Sometimes, she appears entirely as a scorpion, but always with a distinctly human head, emphasizing her intelligence and divine control. She is often shown with outstretched arms, a gesture of both protection and embrace, signifying her role as a guardian.

The Golden Guardian: Tutankhamun’s Shrine

The Golden Guardian of Tutankhamun's Shrine

Perhaps Serqet’s most famous depiction comes from the tomb of Tutankhamun. There, a magnificent golden statue of the goddess stands guard over one of the king’s canopic shrines. With her graceful form and ever-present scorpion emblem, she symbolizes eternal vigilance, ensuring the pharaoh’s safe passage and resurrection.

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The Myth of the Seven Scorpions: Bodyguards of Isis

The Myth of the Seven Scorpions; Bodyguards of Isis

Serqet’s most famous and beloved role in ancient Egyptian mythology centers around her protection of Isis and the infant Horus. This story beautifully illustrates her benevolent power and why she was so revered.

Guardians in the Marshes: Serqet Goddess

As we explored in the Birth of Horus myth, Isis fled to the desolate papyrus marshes of the Nile Delta to hide her miraculously conceived son from the vengeful Seth. But she was not alone. Serqet, recognizing the importance of the future king, sent seven powerful, magical scorpions to act as Isis’s bodyguards. These scorpions—named Tefen, Befen, Mesetet, Mestetef, Petet, Thetet, and Maatet—accompanied Isis, safeguarding her every step through the dangerous swampland.

The Compassion of Isis and the Scorpion’s Rage

The myth continues with a poignant tale. One evening, as Isis and her scorpion escort sought shelter, a wealthy but unkind woman refused them entry into her grand house, while a poorer woman welcomed them in. The scorpions, angered by the rich woman’s cruelty, conspired their revenge. They combined all their venom into the stinger of one scorpion, Tefen. Tefen then snuck into the rich woman’s house and stung her young son.

The child lay dying, suffering from the potent venom. When Isis heard the mother’s cries, her compassionate heart moved her. Despite the woman’s earlier unkindness, Isis used her immense magical powers to heal the child. She commanded the poison to leave his body, demonstrating that even a goddess of magic could override the deadly power of Serqet’s scorpions when compassion demanded it. This act not only saved the child but also showed that true divine power lay in both command and mercy.

This myth firmly established Serqet as a goddess who could inflict deadly venom but also controlled it, often in service of divine justice or protection, making her an indispensable ally to the gods and humanity alike.

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Serqet Goddess, the Healer: Patron of Physicians

Serqet the Healer; Patron of Physicians

Serqet’s power over venom naturally extended to her role as a healer. In ancient Egypt, where scorpions and snakes were a constant threat, her ability to both inflict and cure stings made her an indispensable deity, especially for those who practiced medicine.

The “Sau”: Magicians and Doctors

Ancient Egyptian medicine was often intertwined with magic (heka). Physicians were not just practitioners of remedies; they were also often priests or magicians who understood the divine forces at play. Those who specialized in treating snakebites and scorpion stings were known as Kherep Serqet, meaning “Controller of Serqet.” This title underscored their direct connection to the goddess and her power.

Medicine and Magic: Exorcising the Venom

The Egyptians viewed venom not merely as a biological substance, but as a dangerous spiritual entity or a demon entering the body. Therefore, a cure often required more than just practical remedies. It needed magical incantations and the divine authority of Serqet to “exorcise” the venom and restore health. Physicians invoked Serqet’s name, often using amulets or spells bearing her image, to draw out the poison and allow the afflicted person’s “throat to breathe” once more.

Serqet’s compassion, as seen in the myth where Isis cured the rich woman’s son, further cemented her role as a benevolent healer. She was the embodiment of hope for anyone suffering from the desert’s deadly creatures, turning fear into a source of potential healing.

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Guardian of the Dead: Protector of the Canopic Jars

King tut collection museum - Serqet Goddess

While Serqet protected the living from venom, her most critical duty began after death. She stood as one of the four great protective goddesses (alongside Isis, Neith, and Nephthys) who guarded the deceased on their journey to the afterlife.

The Protector of the Intestines: Serqet Goddess

Specifically, Serqet was responsible for guarding the Canopic Jars—the sacred vessels that held the mummified internal organs. She watched over the jar containing the intestines.

  • The Divine Team: She worked in tandem with Qebehsenuef, the falcon-headed Son of Horus. Together, they ensured the safety of the intestines.
  • Why Intestines? Scholars believe this specific association exists because the Egyptians linked the intestines with poison and digestion. Just as a scorpion’s venom enters the body, food (and potential poison) enters through the gut. Therefore, Serqet was the perfect guardian to neutralize any spiritual toxins in the body.

The Golden Shrine

The Golden Shrine - Serqet Goddess

You can see her devotion most clearly in the tomb of Tutankhamun. On his gilded canopic shrine, Serqet stands as a beautiful golden woman, her arms stretched out in a protective embrace around the box, ensuring no evil spirits could approach the king’s vulnerable organs.

The Cosmic Warrior: Binding the Snake

The Cosmic Warrior; Binding the Snake - Serqet Goddess

Beyond the tomb, Serqet played a role on a cosmic scale. Every night, the sun god Ra traveled through the dangerous underworld in his Solar Barque. His arch-enemy was Apep, the giant chaos serpent who tried to swallow the sun.

Serqet joined the crew of the Solar Barque as a warrior goddess. Images depict her using chains to bind the giant snake or using her divine sting to paralyze him. In this role, she proved she was a goddess of Order (Ma’at), using her deadly nature to restrain chaos and ensure the sun rose every morning.

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Serqet Goddess: The Benevolent Sting

Ultimately, Serqet represents the profound Egyptian understanding of the natural world. She reminds us that the same power that kills can also cure. By worshipping the scorpion, the Egyptians did not bow to fear; they transformed it into protection. From the marshes of the Delta to the golden shrines of Tutankhamun, Serqet remains the “Benevolent Sting,” the guardian who watches over the vulnerable and tightens the throats of the wicked.

FAQs About Serqet

Here are the quick answers to the most common questions about the Scorpion Goddess.

Q: Was Serqet an evil goddess?

A: No. Despite being a scorpion, she was a benevolent and protective deity. She protected pregnant people, children, and the dead. She only used her sting to punish the wicked (like the enemies of Ra).

Q: What animal represents Serqet?

A: The scorpion. She is almost always shown as a woman with a scorpion on her head, or occasionally as a scorpion with a woman’s head.

Q: Did Serqet have her own temple?

A: Archaeologists have not found a major temple dedicated solely to her. However, she had a widespread priesthood (magician-doctors) and was worshipped in temples shared with other gods.

Q: Who are the four goddesses who protect the dead?

A: They are Isis, Nephthys, Neith, and Serqet. You will often see them carved on the four corners of royal sarcophagi and canopic chests.

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