Serket, in Egyptian mythology, is the goddess of healing poisonous stings and bites, initially the deification of the scorpion. His family life is unknown, but he is sometimes credited as relatives Neith et Khnum, which would make her the sister of Sobek et Apophis.
Scorpion stings cause paralysis and the name Serket describes this phenomenon, meaning “(one who) constricts the throat”. However, the name Serket can also be interpreted as meaning “(she who) causes the throat to breathe”. Thus, just as much as she was seen to sting the ungodly, Serket was believed to be able to cure scorpion stings and the effects of other venoms, such as snakebites.
Serket in the Art of Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egyptian art, Serket was depicted as a scorpion (a symbol found on the culture's oldest artifacts, such as those from Naqada III), as having the body of a scorpion but the head of a a woman or like a woman with a scorpion on her head. Although Serket does not appear to have had any temples, it had a considerable number of priests in many communities.
Serket, Protector of the Pharaohs
One of the most dangerous scorpion species, the yellow-tailed scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus), resides in North Africa and its sting can kill. Therefore, Serket was considered a very important goddess and sometimes she was considered by the pharaohs as their protector. Her close association with early rulers implies that she was their protector, notably Scorpion I and Scorpion II.
As a protectress against venom and snakebites, Serket was often said to protect deities against Apophis, the great serpent-demon of evil, sometimes depicted as guard whenApophis was captured.
Serket, Protector of the Dead and Keeper of the Canopic Jars
As many poisonous creatures of Egypt could be deadly, Serket was also considered a protector of the dead, especially associated with venoms and stiffening fluids. She was therefore said to be the protectress of the tents of the embalmers and of the canopic jar associated with venom—the jar of the intestine—which was later deified as Qebehsenuef, one of the four sons ofHorus.
As guardian of one of the canopic jars and protector, Serket developed a strong association with Neith, Isis and Nephthys, who also performed similar functions. Eventually Serket began to be identified with Isis, sharing imagery and kinship, until eventually Serket was said to be simply an aspect of Isis, whose cult had become dominant.
Serket and the Question of Animal Determination
It has been suggested that Serket's identification with a scorpion may be a misinterpretation of the determiner of his name and the animal associated with him, and that it may not refer to a scorpion, but rather to a scorpion of water (Nepidae). According to this hypothesis, Serket is called "the giver of breath" because of the way water scorpions seem to breathe underwater. The appearance of a water scorpion must have caused it to be associated with the scorpion, hence the use of the goddess to heal the stings of scorpion and other poisonous creatures or perhaps precisely because she "does breathe”, not because of the physical similarities of the creatures.
His story in pictures
Other deities than Serket