Wadjet was the Egyptian goddess represented by the rearing cobra symbol called the uraeus. The uraeus appeared on royal crowns and was associated with protection, sovereignty and the king’s authority.
Wadjet was the tutelary deity of Lower Egypt and was closely linked with the city of Buto. Egyptian art commonly depicted her as a cobra, reflecting the dangerous protective power of the animal. The cobra on a ruler’s crown symbolised the ability to strike enemies and defend the monarchy.
The uraeus was not simply decorative snake imagery. It formed part of the visual language of Egyptian kingship and was frequently shown together with the vulture emblem associated with Upper Egypt. This pairing expressed the unification of the two lands.
Later Egyptian religious traditions connected Wadjet with other goddesses, but she remained particularly tied to the cobra, Lower Egypt and royal protection.