The scepter with an animal head and a forked end, symbolizing power, is the was scepter.
The was scepter was a long, straight staff topped by a stylized animal head and ending in a fork. The animal is commonly identified with the Set animal, a mysterious canine-like creature associated with the god Set, although its exact zoological identity remains uncertain. The Egyptian word was means “power” or “dominion,” which explains the scepter’s symbolism.
Gods, pharaohs, and other powerful figures are frequently shown holding it in Egyptian art. It could express authority, control, and divine power. In funerary settings, the emblem could also be placed in tomb decoration or burial equipment as a protective symbol connected with the deceased’s well-being.
It is easy to confuse the was scepter with the heqa crook, the flail, or the sekhem scepter. The distinctive clues are the animal head at the top and the forked lower end. Surviving examples were made from materials including wood and faience.