Nekhbet
Nekhbet
Most people think death when they see a vulture. Not so in ancient Egypt! Nekhbet, the vulture goddess of the Nile, protected Egypt's kings and their famous white crown. So, unless you were Pharaoh's enemy, about to be run down with his chariot…not so much vultures and death. (Hm. Maybe we need to rethink this?)
Basic Information
| Name | Nekhbet, Nekhebet, Nechbet, Eileithyia to the Greeks and Romans |
| Nickname | First of the Two Ladies, Mother of Mothers, Great White Cow of Nekheb, Pharaoh's Protectress, Culture Vulture, Doc Buzzard, Eye of Ra (one of many goddesses with this title) |
| Sex | Female |
| Current city | Nekheb (El Kab, Eileithyiaspolis) |
Work & Education
| Occupation | I protect the crown of Egypt and the pharaoh who wears it |
| Education | Egyptian Royal Academy |
Beliefs
| Political views | Monarchist (you had a doubt?) |
Family & Friends (& Enemies)
| Parents | Of course I had parents, but nobody knows who they were. Plus, ancient Egyptians thought all vultures were female and created themselves! Weird, huh? |
| Siblings | None |
| Children | None, though I adopt pharaohs from time to time |
| Friends | Wadjet (Buto), Ra, Sobek, Hapy (when we're not married) |
| Enemies | Anyone who'd hurt a pharaoh |
Relationships
| Relationship status | It's Complicated with Hapy |
| Interested in | Androgynous river gods |
Favorites
| Quotations | "By what right, then, do royal rulers rule? Whose is the sanction of their state and pow'r?" —Ambrose Bierce "When vultures watching your civilization begin dropping dead, it is time to pause and wonder." —David Brower "I've dined with kings / I've been offered wings/ and I've never been too impressed" —Bob Dylan "My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy." —Shakespeare, Henry VI "In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do." —Gianni Versace |
| Books | The Song of Ice and Fire series is great reading for my days off. I can't wait for the last book to come out. It'd be exciting to protect any of these kings! Except maybe Daenerys. Do dragons like to eat vultures? The Fault in our Stars by John Green. I cried. Did you cry? I bet you did. Oedipus the King by Sophocles. This has got to be the most messed-up king story ever. Too bad they didn't have me around for advice! A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I bet you wouldn't be upset if I landed in your yard. Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss. And people wonder why I don't have any children. The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan. My name is NOT Neck-butt! And I am NOT an old hag! Grrrrr. Early Dynastic Egypt by Toby A. H. Wilkinson. Love reading about the old days. Vulture: Nature's Ghastly Gourmet by Wayne Grady. We're not THAT gross… are we? Kingship and the Gods: A Study of Ancient Near Eastern Religion as the Integration of Society and Nature (Oriental Institute Essays) by Henri Frankfort. I've been hanging out with kings since before kings existed. This is our story. The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, The Tomb, The Royal Treasure (King Tut) by Nicholas Reeves. Lots of pictures of the gold and jewels King Tut wore in my honor. Check out that huge gem-studded neck-vulture! |
| Music | "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga. It seems like people with cameras have taken my place, hovering over the rich and famous. Buzz off! "Down on the Street" by The Stooges. When I looked down, I saw Iggy Pop. He looks like a vulture. Adorable! I've been listening ever since. There's nothing at all by Tom Petty (with or without the Heartbreakers) that I can't sing from memory. I love his raspy voice. "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison. Would he sing about a brown-eyed vulture girl? "Vultures" by John Mayer. Why does everyone think vultures are so bad? "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley. The only king for me, since 1935 CE. "Remember the Time" by Michael Jackson. Wait a minute. Is that Eddie Murphy, or Rameses? I'm confused. "That's What Friends Are For" from The Jungle Book. Everybody's got friends, even vultures! |
| Movies | I enjoyed the Harry Potter movies and books, and especially Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Just remember: Not everyone you think is bad or dangerous is your enemy. The Amazing Spider-Man was fun! I was upset when they said Electro would be in the sequel. Come on, where's the Vulture? Kingdom of Heaven. I wonder what the Pharaohs would've thought about the Crusades? The Butler. What it's like, living in the shadow of important people. The Ten Commandments. Yul Brynner was a better Rameses than Rameses was. Is that possible? Cleopatra. Such an opulent court. Such beautiful people. Too bad the real one wasn't like this. Ben-Hur. Did someone say chariot races? I love chariot races. The Man in the Iron Mask. Kingship is more than a crown. |
| TV Shows | The O.C. Is this what you have instead of royalty? Gossip Girl. If this and The O.C. are all you have for royalty, you need work. Buffy the Vampire Slayer will always be my favorite vampire show. Sorry, Vampire Diaries. The ceiling at Hell's Kitchenis the best ceiling to hang out on. Though they'd probably chase me out if they saw me up there. |
Activities & Interests
| Likes | Tennis Pugs Flying Big, shiny earrings Babies |
| Activities | Having a vulture's-eye view of everything Riding behind the royal chariot as it mows through enemy lines Checking out the fortune-tellers at the fair Hat shopping with Wadjet Making sure everybody gets home safe |
| Interests | Genealogy (never know where a royal is hiding!) Magic La Leche League Palaces and castles Muscle cars (modern chariots after all) |
| Groups | Ancient Egyptian Gods Egyptian Mythology Vulture Mothers Royal Baby Watch |