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Statue of the Goddess Sakhmet
Statue of the Goddess Sakhmet on display at the MET (CC0)
Sekhmet, also spelt Sakhmet, an Egyptian goddess of war and the destroyer of the enemies of the sun god Re. Sekhmet was associated both with disease and with healing and medicine. Sekhmet’s main cult centre was in Memphis (Men Nefer) where she was worshipped as “the destroyer” alongside her consort Ptah (the creator) and Nefertum (her son and the healer). Statue of the Goddess Sakhmet on display at the MET (CC0)[/caption]
Like other fierce goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon, she was called the “Eye of Re.” She was the companion of the god Ptah and was worshipped principally at Memphis. She was usually depicted as a lioness or as a woman with the head of a lioness, on which was placed the solar disk and the uraeus serpent. Sekhmet was sometimes identified with other Egyptian goddesses, such as Hathor, Bastet, and Mut. (sources: wikipedia, encyclopedia brittanica and MET)

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