Nehebkau was a chthonic god within the ancient Egyptian pantheon, represented as a snake or snake-headed man. Although originally considered an evil spirit, who simply emerged into being, he was later associated with the afterlife and the joining of spirits.
Nehebkau was listed as one of the forty-two assessors of Ma’at; lesser deities who were tasked with judging the deceased within the ‘Weighing of the Heart’ ceremony. The deities were each associated with a particular sin, which the deceased was supposed to declare he was not quilty of. Nehebkau was associated with arrogance. Nehebkau was ultimately considered a powerful, benevolent, and protective deity. In later mythology, he is described as a companion of the sun god Ra and an attendant of the deceased King.
To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.
