Which vulture goddess was the patron of Upper Egypt?

Nekhbet was the vulture goddess who served as the patron of Upper Egypt.

Nekhbet originated as the local goddess of Nekheb, an important settlement known today as El Kab. As Egyptian kings consolidated power, she became the tutelary deity of Upper Egypt and a major guardian of kingship. Her counterpart in Lower Egypt was Wadjet, the cobra goddess of the Nile Delta.

Egyptian artists usually depicted Nekhbet as a vulture, often hovering above the pharaoh with wings spread protectively. She might clutch a shen ring, a symbol of eternity and encircling protection. Her imagery emphasized that the goddess watched over the ruler and the southern kingdom from above.

Nekhbet and Wadjet were jointly known as the “Two Ladies.” Their presence in royal titulary and on crowns expressed the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt. This is the key distinction in the question: Nekhbet is the vulture associated with Upper Egypt, while Wadjet is the cobra associated with Lower Egypt. Other goddesses, including Isis and Mut, could sometimes share protective or maternal imagery, but they are not the canonical answer here.