Nephthys was a goddess who protected the deceased’s head and was closely linked with the vulture in funerary religion. She was one of the protective deities surrounding the dead and often appeared alongside her sister Isis.
Nephthys was traditionally the daughter of Geb and Nut, sister of Osiris, Isis, and Seth, and wife of Seth in the Osiris family tradition. In the mythic mourning of Osiris, she joined Isis in lamentation and in the work of restoring the dead god.
Funerary art frequently presents Isis and Nephthys with raised arms, wings, or protective gestures near a coffin or corpse. Their roles were complementary: both could mourn, guard, and assist the deceased through ritual symbolism.
Nephthys is sometimes confused with Nekhbet because both can be associated with vulture imagery. Nekhbet was the vulture goddess of Upper Egypt, whereas Nephthys was a major member of the Osiris-centered funerary family.