In Egyptian religion, vulture goddess who was the protector of Upper Egypt and especially its rulers. Nekhbet was portrayed as spreading her wings over the pharaoh while grasping in her claw the cartouche symbol or other emblems. She also appeared as a woman, often with a vulture's head, wearing a white crown. Nekhbet's cult was at al-Kab (Eileithyiaspolis), but she was also the goddess of Hierakonpolis (Nekhen), the ancient town opposite al-Kab, on the west bank of the Nile River.