Stretching of the Cord
Seshat never had a temple or cult of her own, but she is featured in reliefs in many ancient temples. She also was part of the foundation of the temples constructed in her role as Mistress of Builders and her participation in the ritual ceremony of "stretching the cord."
Seshat was a crucial part of this "foundation ceremony" for any temple or building. She was said to be a patron of architects and builders. Any buildings or structures that remain today that are open for public view are now part of Egypt's sacred cultural heritage and its public history.
Her task was to measure the parameters of any structure before it was built. Once the land was selected, she helped situate the temple in the correct sacred area.
Sir John Gardner Wilkinson, known as "the father of British Egyptology," wrote this about Seshat's involvement in this ritual in his book, The Complete Temples of Egypt.
"The rite involved the careful orientation of the temple by astronomical observation and measurement. Apparently, this was usually accomplished by sighting the stars of a northern circumpolar constellation through a notched wooden instrument called a merkhet and thus acquiring a true north-south orientation which was commonly used for the temple's short axis. According to the texts, the king was assisted in this ritual by Seshat (or Sefkhet-Abwy), the scribal goddess of writing and measurement (Temples, 38)."