Page "Sekhmet" Paragraph 7

She was envisioned as a fierce lioness, and in art, was depicted as such, or as a woman with the head of a lioness, who was dressed in red, the colour of blood.

Sometimes the dress she wears exhibits a rosetta pattern over each breast, an ancient leonine motif, which can be traced to observation of the shoulder-knot hairs on lions.

Occasionally, Sekhmet was also portrayed in her statuettes and engravings with minimal clothing or naked.

Tame lions were kept in temples dedicated to Sekhmet at Leontopolis.