Tefnut

Tefnut is the deity of moisture in ancient Egypt. The Book of Knowing the Creation of Ra recounts that Tefnut was expectorated by Atum-Ra and that she was brought up in joy by Nun. The Supreme Deity created Shu, air, and Tefnut at the beginning of time. Together with Shu, Tefnut created Geb and Nut, who gave birth to Ausar, Seth, Auset, and Neb-het. Heru was the son of Ausar and Auset and was a deity alongside the gods of the Ennead in the city of No or Iunnu (Heliopolis), where Tefnut was the deity of water.

The role of Tefnut in the religious imagination of the ancient Egyptians is seen in the idea of Atum-Ra's reliance on the ability of Tefnut to pursue that which is lost. According to the Book of Knowing the Creation of Ra, Tefnut, along with Shu, brought back Atum-Ra's far-wandering Eye, thus giving Tefnut a role in the mythological and magical quality of the Eye of God.

According to one oral narrative, Tefnut left Egypt for Nubia after an argument with Atum and took all the water and moisture with her. As a result, Egypt plunged into chaos for dryness, and Atum, in despair, sent Shu and Tehuti to Nubia after her. They found that Tefnut had meanwhile turned herself into a lioness. Other narratives refer to Atum-Ra's Eye being sent to retrieve Tefnut as the lioness, eventually bringing her back to Atum-Ra to restore his Eye in its place and thus drive chaos away from Egypt.

It is not unusual, therefore, that Tefnut is depicted as both a savior of Atum-Ra's Eye and a lioness, strongly linked to the sun as the Eye of Ra, but also with water for which she stands as the powerful force. Also, the Pyramid Texts seem to indicate multiple progenitors of Ausar. He is called the son of Geb, Atum, and Shu and of the goddesses Nut, Tefnut, and Hathor. Thus, it appears that Tefnut is seen alongside two female personalities in the ancient religion who are among the most identifiable characters in ancient Egyptian religion. Nut is the Sky goddess and Hat-hor is the goddess most identified with Auset because of her powerful strength in fertility and productivity. Tefnut, conjoined with them, creates an impressive cadre of female powers.

Furthermore, in the Ptah section, or right-hand section of the Shabaka Stone, which deals with the [Page 650]Memphite theological system, one sees Ptah “on the great seat” as the one from whom all gods are created, including Tefnut. In any case, regardless of which of the Egyptian theological systems is being addressed, the Memphite system where Ptah's identification with Nun/Nunet was anterior to Atom or the Iunu Ennead where Atum was at the origin of all creation, the Supreme Deity as Ptah or Atum brought Tefnut and all other deities into existence. What is consensus among authors who have studied the Egyptian religious systems is that, in the Egyptian ontogeny, Nun/Nunet, the androgynous concept, is the primary originator, the cosmic substratum, the potential creative power, or the primeval procreator of all gods who created the universe and all things in it. The androgynous Nun/Nunet begot Atum.

...