In Egyptian mythology, Mafdet (or Maftet) was an early panther-goddess, known as a destroyer of scorpions, snakes and other venomous animals. She was associated with cats and mongooses (both of which kill snakes) and was known to protect from the dangerous effects of snakebites. She is depicted as a woman with the head of a Cheetah, Lynx, or Panther or as a woman dressed in a cat skin. Mafdet's braided hair sometimes ends in scorpion tails, presumably showing her dominance over venoms. Her cult was eventually replaced by that of Bast.