Sekhmet is directly translated to “She who is powerful.” According to another interpretation, her name means “the One who loves Ma’at.” This goddess was the cause of the plague, chaos, and war. However, she was also responsible for healing.

Sekhmet was a weapon of vengeance created by Ra. When the high god saw how insolent humans are, he looked down on Earth with a fiery eye, thus unleashing her. Ra was especially furious because people didn’t want to live according to Ma’at’s principles. The second version tells us that Sekhmet is a daughter of Nut and Geb who reigned over the sky and earth.

All documents show the goddess having a lion head with a female body. She also has a sun disk to signify her reign over the sun and the desert. Like many other deities, Sekhmet is portrayed as a protector of pharaohs. She was responsible for all things relating to war, and ordinary people would pray to her before going to battle.

The goddess also had its calm, passive state. In such situations, she was portrayed as a household cat deity known as Bastet. Although most Egyptian gods were terrifying in their own regard, the people were especially fearful of Sekhmet. They thought she could unleash disease and plague on everyone who would oppose her. While she had a very destructive side, she was also a protector of healers and physicians.

According to Ancient Egyptians, this deity could cure all your medical issues if she had the incentive to do so. So, to appease her, the believers offered various food and drink, burned incense, played music, and danced. They would even whisper into the ears of mummified cat statues trying to get on her good side.

Documents tell us that Sekhmet was the mother of the lion god Maahes, the pharaohs’ guardian. In addition, text within ancient pyramids indicates that Sekhmet also gave birth to pharaohs. Although there isn’t a clear depiction of birth, there is an image where Sekhmet gives milk to ruler Niuserre.

Although loved by everyone, Amenhotep the Third had a special obsession with the goddess. During his reign, he built hundreds of statues in her honor and would present offerings to her every day.