Seshat
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In Egyptian mythology, Seshat ("The Female Scribe") was a goddess of writing, science, literature, history, libraries, architecture and mathematics, and the consort of Thoth. In art, she was depicted as a human with a symbol resembling a 7 pointed star, or a flower, above her head, wearing a leopard-skin robe.
She was believed to appear to assist the pharaoh at various times, and who kept a record of his life:
- It was she who recorded the time allotted to him by the gods for his stay on earth, marking the number of days by notching a palm branch which she always carried with her.
- She was associated with the pharaoh at the 'stretching the cord' foundation ritual, where she assisted the pharaoh with the measuring process.
- During New Kingdom times, she was shown to have been involved in the sed (jubilee) festival of the pharaohs, holding a palm rib to show the passage of time.
- She kept track of each pharaoh and the period for which he ruled and the speeches made during the crowning rituals.
- She was also shown writing down the inventory of foreign captives and captured goods from campaigns.
Alternative names: Sesat, Sesheta, seshataca:Seshat fr:Seshat fi:Sesat