Neith was one of the most ancient deities known from Egypt. There is ample evidence that she was one of the most important deities of the prehistoric and Early Dynastic periods and, impressively, her veneration persisted to the very end of the phaoronic age. Her character was complex, evolving over the centuries to take on traits of a warrior, mother, creator, and funerary Goddess amongst others.
Most noteworthy in regards to the current example, Neith was the patron goddess of Sais and of the 26th Dynasty pharaohs. For them she expressed elements of both a war goddess, and also a great creator deity. As such, the Greeks identified her with Athena, while even later in Egyptian history she was fused with Isis and worshipped as the "divine mother" of Horus. Cupreous statuary of the goddess proliferated during Dynasty 26, notably in the western (Libyan) part of the Delta. The current figure is a fine example of the facial style of mid Dynasty 26, and of the Saite female figural style with its heavy bosom and long slim hips.
