Seshat

Iconography

In ancient Egyptian art, she was depicted as a woman with a seven-pointed emblem above her head or extending from a headband. This emblem was the origin of an alternate name for Seshat, Sefkhet-Abwy, which may be translated as "seven-horned". She was frequently shown in a leopard-skin or dress, sometimes with a robe layered under a skin. The leopard-skin was a symbol of funerary priests, with the pattern on the natural hide thought to represent the stars, being a symbol of eternity, and to be associated with the night sky.

Usually, Seshat is shown holding a notched palm rib, the symbol for "year" in Egyptian hieroglyphics. The stem was often depicted ending in a tadpole above a shen ring, representing 100,000 and infinity, respectively. Seshat's notching of the stem indicated the recording of the passage of time, especially that of the king's lifespan. Hieroglyphs representing festivals were shown as suspended from the palm stem when Seshat recorded these events. She was also depicted holding other tools, often the knotted cords that were stretched to survey land and structures.

Roles

Seshat was the divine measurer and scribe, and thus assisted the pharaoh in both of these practises. Her skills were necessary for surveying the land, to re-establish boundary-lines after the annual floods. The priestess who officiated at these functions in her name also oversaw the staff of others who performed similar duties and were trained in mathematics and the related store of knowledge. She also was responsible for recording the speeches the pharaoh made during the crowning-ceremony.

As early as the Old Kingdom, Seshat was depicted recording the goods, loot, and captives brought to Egypt, especially those gained in military campaigns. She was also shown conducting cattle censuses. From the Middle Kingdom onwards, she was depicted recording foreign tribute given to Egypt.

Seshat was closely associated with Thoth (Ancient Egyptian: Ḏḥwtj), the reckoner of time and god of writing, who was also venerated as a god of wisdom. The two shared some overlapping functions and she was variously considered to be his sister, wife, or daughter. Seshat invented writing and Thoth taught writing to man. Seshat also appeared in funerary contexts, where, along with Nephthys, she restored the limbs of the deceased.

"Stretching the Cord" Ritual

Seshat held titles related to construction, including "Lady of Builders", as she was involved in planning the building and expansion of sacred sites, such as temples.

The "stretching the cord" ritual, or pedj-sesh(r) ceremony, is one such example. This ritual related to laying out the foundations of temples and other important structures. It would have helped plan dimensions and align structures to astronomic or geographic features, while fixing the ground plan and determining its corners. It involved the use of rope/cord, poles/stakes, and clubs/mallets. Depictions of the ritual typically showed Seshat and the king, across from another, holding these tools and "stretching" the cord between them. The god Horus is sometimes depicted alongside them.

Text from the Palermo Stone indicates that this festival was performed at least as early as the First Dynasty, where it involved her priests. The oldest iconographic depiction dates from the Second Dynasty, where Seshat and Khasekhemwy carry out the ritual.

Sed Festival

By the New Kingdom, she was involved in the Sed festival, a ceremony attested since the Early Dynastic Period. Also called the Heb Sed, the festival celebrated the continuing reign of a king, typically after thirty years of rule. Seshat, sometimes alongside Thoth, recorded the king's jubilees and regnal years on a notched palm rib or the leaves of the sacred ished (or persea) tree. Seshat and Thoth would have also recorded the names and histories of kings on the sacred ished tree.

Worship

Seshat was strongly associated with the king's reign and official ceremonies. She was not worshipped by the general populace and did not have a dedicated cult or temple of her own. However, her role in the "stretching the cord" ritual would have involved her in the founding of every temple. Likewise, her association with writing and architecture would have made her a patroness of scribes and builders.

Seshat held various titles related to writing and libraries, including "Mistress of Scribes" and "Lady of Books," as her priests oversaw the places in which scrolls of knowledge were assembled and spells were preserved. This responsibility would have involved her in the House of Life, a place where scribes were trained. Heliopolis was the location of her principal sanctuary.

A prince of the Fourth Dynasty, Wep-em-nefret, is noted as a priest of Seshat (among other deities) on a slab stela from his tomb.

Emblem

The Seshat emblem is a hieroglyph representing the goddess Seshat in ancient Egypt. In art, it was shown above her head or as part of her headpiece.

It is unclear what the emblem symbolises. It is variably described as a flower, star, or rosette below a crescent or arc. Alternatively, the emblem may represent a device similar to the Roman groma or a method of identifying directions through the use of gnomons. It is typically shown with seven points and one "stem" of variable length extending from the bottom. The points of the emblem may be depicted with varying shapes and levels of detail, but remain symmetrical. It may also be depicted with a disc or ring in its centre.

The emblem has two main variations. During the Old Kingdom, the upper arc was depicted as whole with two upright feathers on top (Gardiner R21). By the New Kingdom, the arc was split into two "horns" with upright points replacing the feathers (Gardiner R20). Both variations remained in use throughout the New Kingdom and onwards.

The famous 24th century BC Palermo Stone, a piece of the Royal Annals of the Old Kingdom stele, has multiple uses of Seshat's emblem. It occurs twice on the "front" (or recto) side, in years 34 and 40 under Den. One of these examples is arranged below, reading approximately: "(Year:) Creating (images of) Seshat and Mafdet." This refers to the creation of the goddesses' cult images, such as statues, as a defining event for the year.

The Seshat emblem is also used on the Palermo Stone to represent Seshu, the male counterpart of Seshat.