ABSTRACT
The temple of the goddess Mut stands in that quarter of the city of Thebes which was called Asher (n). The goddess was probably the original deity of Thebes, and in her human form is possibly the personification of the Crown of Upper Egypt. In animal form she is the vulture, which, as a hieroglyphic sign, means “Mother”. In all periods the symbolism of the mother-bird with wings outspread over its fledglings has appealed to all nations, and the vulture, being the largest bird in Egypt and having the largest spread of wing, became in that country the symbol of motherhood and maternal protection. The royal insignia of the queens of Egypt included the vulture head-dress, and from the earliest historical times the vulture is represented with outspread wings above the head of the king.
