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Neith (Egyptian, nt), the patron goddess of [[Sais]] (Egyptian, sAw), and also one of the three main gods of [[Esna]] (Egyptian, iwnyt) is one of the earliest gods to have a centre of worship in Egypt. The fierce warrior goddess also had a softer side, however, and her influence extended far and wide.

'''Neith''', the patron goddess of [[Sais]], and also one of the three main gods of [[Esna]], is one of the earliest gods to have a centre of worship in Egypt. The fierce warrior goddess also had a softer side, however, and her influence extended far and wide.

== Origins ==

== Origins ==

There are clear attestations for worship of Neith at least as far back as the 1st Dynasty in her cult centre, [[Sais]]. However, there is a general consensus that her origins extend back into the Pre-Dynastic period, and may be the same archaic warrior goddess that gave rise to [[Tanit]], [[Astarte]] and, less certainly, [[Athena|Pallas-Athene]], the latter possibly having reached the Greek world via early trade with [[Crete]]. The [[Ptolemaic]] rulers lost no time in associating Neith with the patron goddess of Athens, noticing the similarities between the two.

There are clear attestations for worship of Neith at least as far back as the [[1st Dynasty]] in her cult centre, [[Sais]]. However, her origins extend back into the Pre-Dynastic period, and may be the same archaic warrior goddess that gave rise to [[Tanit]], [[Astarte]] and, less certainly, the Greek goddess [[Athena|Pallas-Athene]], who possibly reached the Greek world via early trade with [[Crete]]. The [[Ptolemaic]] rulers lost no time in associating Neith with the patron goddess of Athens, noticing the similarities between the two.