Which goddess is the patron of Upper Egypt, often depicted as a vulture? Nekhbet. She was the tutelary goddess of Upper Egypt and was commonly represented as a vulture.
Nekhbet began as the local goddess of Nekheb, the ancient city now known as El Kab. Her shrine was among Egypt’s early important religious centers, and her authority expanded until she represented Upper Egypt as a whole.
In royal art, Nekhbet often appears with outstretched wings, protecting the pharaoh. She could hold shen rings, symbols of eternity, or royal emblems. Egyptologists have debated which vulture species inspired her imagery; proposed identifications include the griffon vulture and the lappet-faced vulture.
Nekhbet’s closest counterpart was Wadjet, the cobra goddess of Lower Egypt. Together they were called the “Two Ladies,” or nebty, and represented the union of Upper and Lower Egypt. This pairing is why Nekhbet is sometimes mistaken for a general mother goddess or confused with Mut, another goddess who could wear a vulture headdress.