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Five Facts About Sekhmet, Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Medicine and War
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Sekhmet was portrayed as a lioness or as a human with the head of a lioness, and she wore a sun disc on her head, like Ra.
Photo by Christa Galloway
Sekhmet was one of the oldest Egyptian deities.
Sekhmet was one of the oldest known Egyptian deities. According to Ancient Egyptian mythology, the sun god, Ra, created her with the flames from his eyes when he looked down on earth.
The name Sekhmet means ‘she who is powerful.’
Sekhmet's name means "she who is powerful," and she was both a warrior goddess and the patron of healers.
Ra sent Sekhmet to earth to punish people.
As a daughter of Ra, she was once sent to earth in the form of a lion to punish the humans and almost destroyed humanity.
She could breathe fire.
She was a fearsome warrior goddess and could breathe fire to burn her enemies. The hot desert wind was said to be her breath.
Sekhmet could start a plague but she was also the patron of healers.
Sekhmet could bring plagues to the land, but she could also stop them. As the patron of healers, she was worshiped by healers and doctors, who prayed to her to help them cure patients.