Uraeus meaning are a symbol of kingship in Egypt represented by a cobra in an upright position worn as a head ornament or crown. The symbol protected the king and was an agent of his destructive powers, spitting fire and associated with the goddess Wadjit.The Uraeus was the image of a rearing cobra which was worn on the brow of the pharaoh on top of a number of different crowns and headdresses. The image is seen on many protective amulets, crowns and statues.
In the past it was possible to purchase replicas in various metals from street vendors in Egypt. Today they are sold by souvenir shops across the country. The uraeus worn on top of the Ancient Egyptian crowns. It was originally the distinctive headdress of the goddess Wadjet and later became associated with Nekhbet, who replaced Wadjet as the patron deity of Lower Egypt. The first images of people wearing the uraeus date back to on the Naqada I pottery.
It was only worn by pharaohs, queens and regal gods and clearly identifies royalty in art works and inscriptions. According to the Pyramid Texts, Geb granted the Uraeus to the pharaoh as the legitimate ruler of Egypt. However, another (Ptolemaic) story tells that when Geb reached out to pick up the crown of Ra so that he could assume the throne following the ascent to heaven of his father Shu, the Uraeus attacked and almost killed him because it knew that he had committed a heinous crime by raping his mother Tefnut.
This indicates that the Uraeus was also seen as a protector of the law and punisher of the wicked. The Uraeus was closely associated with the cobra goddess Wadjet who was the patron of Lower Egypt and protected both the pharaoh and the queens of Egypt. Wadjet was also one of the goddesses associated with the Eye of Ra who could be seen as the personification of divine punishment and the protector of Ra in the underworld.
The Uraeus was also a popular motif in architecture, statuary and jewellery and was a commonly used hieroglyph (appearing in the name of Wadjet and the word "snake" and also in the names of other goddesses and terms for priestesses and shrines).