Tjenenet

Tjenenet (Tjenenyet, Tenenit, Tenenet) was the wife of Montu during the Middle Kingdom along with Iunit. When Amun became the state god and was linked to Montu she was absorbed by Mut although she was still referred to in connection with Montu-Ra.

She became more prominent during the Ramesside period of the New Kingdom, but thereafter declined into relative obscurity. She is sometimes confused or merged with the goddess Raet (also known as Raettawy) who was a female form of Ra, but as this association may be accidental as they are ocassional depicted together.

Tjenenet was a goddess of brewing and beer and her name may have derived from the word “tenemu” meaning beer. She was depicted as a woman wearing the symbol of a cow’s uterus as a headdress, linking her with the goddess Meskhenet and associating her with royal births.

Bibliography

Budge, E Wallis (1904) The Gods of the Egyptians

Pinch, Geraldine (2002) Handbook Egyptian Mythology

Redford Donald B (2002) Ancient Gods Speak

Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003) The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt

copyright J Hill 2016