Nehebukau

Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 is an Egyptian snake god 𓊹 whose name 𓂋𓈖 means “he who harnesses the spirits” and was he considered to be a helpful deity!  Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 is usually depicted as a snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 with human legs, and as a kid I always got a kick out of this!! 

Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was a very popular god 𓊹 to see represented on amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 worn by the living (especially New Kingdom and later) because amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 were thought to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the wearer from snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 bites! 

Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was thought to be the god 𓊹 that announced the new pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to the other gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 at the beginning of his/her rule 𓋾.  When the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 died, it was Nehebukau’s 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 job to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 and feed the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 or other deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person. The drink that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be fed was called “The Milk of Light,” and it would protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 against bites from poisonous animals. Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was one of the forty-two gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 who helped judge the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Hall of Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦. 

Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 had no cult or priesthood associated with him because most would use magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 to invoke his protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜.  

This is another closeup image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 from Imhotep’s 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Book of the Dead (Early Ptolemaic Period) at the MET.