Sekhmet was the Egyptian goddess of war and destruction, commonly depicted with the head of a lioness.
She was also a solar deity and an expression of Ra’s dangerous power, known as the Eye of Ra. Egyptian traditions linked her with the scorching desert heat, plague, vengeance, and royal protection. Yet she also had a healing aspect and was invoked against disease.
In one famous myth, Ra sent Sekhmet to punish humans who plotted against him. Her bloodlust became so intense that she nearly destroyed humanity. The gods stopped her by flooding the land with beer colored red like blood; after drinking it, she became intoxicated and abandoned the slaughter.
Sekhmet is often confused with Bastet because both are feline goddesses. Bastet was more closely associated with domestic cats, fertility, protection, and household life, while Sekhmet’s lioness imagery emphasized power, violence, and royal might. Sekhmet was traditionally associated with Ptah and, in some traditions, was the mother of Nefertem or Maahes.