The goddess Tau(e)ret (Greek: Thueris) came from Thebes and took care of childbirth, children and motherhood. By the names Opet (or A- Ipet) she watched over local cemeteries and had daggers to scare Egypt's enemies away.
She was written about already in the Old Kingdom pyramid text where she was said nursing the pharaoh himself.
At her feet sometimes stood the Sa-amulet (left) for protection (a sailor's life belt made of reed). Her nation wide fame (under the name Tauret) began in dynasty 17 when king from Thebes be- came kings. Basically she was a hippo with the lower jaw from a crocodile and sometimes she had a cow's head (right). Paws and mane were from a lion and she could also wear a queen's robe. She was often pregnant and hymns were praising her beauty(!). She can also be seen as a parallel to the mother goddess Mut.   Main text.