Taweret was an ancient Egyptian patron of childbirth and a protector of women and children, often called the “Egyptian Childbirth Goddess” with her name literally translating to “The Great One”. According to the Book of the Dead, Taweret nourishes the dead and engulfs the evil who are on their way to Hell. She was said to guard the roadway to “The Mountains of the West” where she would use her power to help the deceased arrive safely (Wengrow 113). Taweret was identified as a hippopotamus primarily, but she also shares the characteristics of the lion and crocodile which were all feared by the Egyptians but also highly respected. She is often depicted in early Egyptian art wearing a short cylindrical headdresses with two plumes or the horns and solar disk of Hathor, with the “Sa”, which represents protection, or the ankh, which represents life (Pinch 29). Taweret was responsible specifically for the protection of mothers and children, with her protective powers used mostly during childbirth. Her predatory features were thought to cause fear in evil forces and ward them off (Germond 172).

At first, Taweret was looked upon by Ancient Egyptians as a dangerously powerful and malicious authority. Taweret was linked to the northern sky as Nebetakhet, the "Mistress of the Horizon". She represented the stars of Ursa Minor and Draco, in which the little dipper formed her back, who guarded the northern sky (Wengrow 114). The northern sky was thought to be cold, dark and potentially dangerous and was associated with Apep, the ancient Egyptian spirit of evil, darkness and destruction who threatened to destroy the sun god Ra as he travelled through the underworld at night (Harrington 34). According to one ancient myth, her husband Apep could only come out during the dark hours, and so Taweret represented the malicious during the light hours. However, by the Old Kingdom she was seen as a protective, rather than aggressive. This connects to her hippopotamus characteristics, as female hippos are seen as very aggressive in defending their offspring. As a result, Taweret remains to be a mother goddess figure as well as a patron of childbirth who was widely considered by most Egyptians as the mother of the pharaoh. As time passed she soon became a commonly known deity (Harrington 36).

Taweret was also very well known for her large swollen breasts. In contrast to her aggressive protective nature, she was also known as a maternal and benevolent figure. Her breasts are often depicted as swollen to symbolize that of a pregnant woman, which displays her dedication to mothering her beloved children. In ancient egyptian culture, large breasts are considered as a symbol of fertility and the power to have regenerative properties (Andrews 221).