Calendar Entry #4: Going Forth of Neith Along the River

Statue of Neith
Current Location:  Louvre Museum

We continue our journey through the Cauldrons Calendar feast/festival/holidays. 

Unfortunately due to some issues that occured with Blogger this post wasn't posted yesterday as it was meant to be.  So this is the entry for May 10th.  

Going Forth of Neith Along the River

Neith (also known as Nit, Net, and Neit) is an ancient deity in Egypt, even back in the time of the First Dynasty.  She is one of the oldest Egyptian goddesses and was an early goddess of creation, weaving and the loom.  Her name also may be interpreted as meaning water. In time, this meaning led to her being considered as the personification of the primordial waters of creation.

Neith was the patron goddess of Sais (Greek) known as Zau in Ancient Egyptian.  Most of the city has been destroyed and removed, leaving only a few blocks.  This includes the Temple of Neith, where the adyton was said, by Proclus (412 - 485AD) to be inscribed with,

'I am the things that are, that will be, and that have been.  No one has ever laid open the garment by which I am concealed.  The fruit which I brought forth was the sun.'

This has led many to believe that she was a Virgin Mother goddess as well as being the mother of Ra.

Going Forth is a common phraseology that was used extensively to refer to religious festivals in Egypt.   One source writes that at different times throughout the year the deity of a temple would travel to visit another deity or temple following a sacred path.

Neith was considered to be one of the aspects of the Great Goddess of the Nile Delta region so when we look at this festival title - Going Forth of Neith along the River - we can assume that this may refer to a sacred path or journey along the Nile.