Nebnerou

{{Short description|Ancient Egyptian deity}}

{{Infobox deity

| type = Egyptian

| image = Nebnerou.svg

| caption = a depiction of Nebnerou as a lion headed man holding a knife

| name = Nebnerou

|hiero=nb:n:r-w-i-i-nr:Z2-A40

}}

Nebnerou also spelled Neb-nerou or Nebneru (phonetic: /Nĕb/ nĕruː/, Egyptian: nb nrii, nb nryw or nb nrwii – "lord of fear or terror"{{Cite book |last=Cauville |first=Sylvie |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Le_temple_de_Dendara/Hxs_AQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=nebnerou&dq=nebnerou&printsec=frontcover |title=Le temple de Dendara: les chapelles osiriennes |date=1997 |publisher=Institut français d'archéologie orientale |isbn=978-2-7247-0203-3 |pages=99 |language=fr}}) is an ancient Egyptian deity associated with guarding tombs and the afterlife. He takes the appearance of a lion or lioness-headed man with one arm outstretched and in the opposite hand he is holding a knife, showing his ferocious nature as a protector deity yet also being a sign of protection. He is usually depicted alongside Hery-maat.{{cite web| title=The lord of Terror and the deceased in the Burial Chamber in the Valley of the Queens |author1=Engy Samir |author2=Magdi Fekri |author3=Hoda Kandil |author4=Hesham Ezz El Din|journal=Journal of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels-University of Sadat City |volume=8 |issue=1/2 |date=June 2024 |url=https://mfth.journals.ekb.eg/article_354346_937e5d02078cea091b90983d0d128af9.pdf}}

In tomb paintings, Nebnerou has his arm outstretched pointing towards the corridor leading to the burial chamber and symbolically represents him showing the way to the afterlife. In the new kingdom, lionesses represented protectors, linking with the theme of protecting the deceased in the afterlife.

Nebnerou also takes appearance as one of the gate deities of the underworld.