He served ramesses iii (r. 1194-1163 b. c.e.) as vizier. Ta’a is mentioned in the records of the royal jubilee of the reign. His successors would rebel against Ramesses III and be captured at athribis, but he was a loyal servant of the pharaoh. He sailed north after gathering religious articles from Thebes, taking them to per-ramesses, the capital at the time. He visited Egyptian cities while en route. During the strike of tomb workers at deir el-med-ina, Ta’a distributed rations to the people in order to avert disaster. His courage and wisdom delayed the unrest that struck Thebes.
See also tomb workers’ revolt.
Ta’apenes (fl. 10th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Twenty-first Dynasty
She was the consort of psusennes i (r. 1040-992 b. c.e.), a lower-ranked queen, as mutnodjmet (2) was the Great wife. some records indicate that Ta’apenes’s sister was sent to jerusalem to serve at the court there.
Tabiry (fl. eighth century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Nubian Twenty-fifth Dynasty
She was the consort of piankhi (r. 750-712 b. c.e.) and the daughter of the Nubian ruler alara and Queen Kasaga. Tabiry was possibly the mother of shabaka and SHEPENWEPET (2). It is not known if Tabiry accompanied Piankhi on his military campaigns in Egypt. Her daughter, shepenwepet (2), became a god’s wife of amun, or Divine Adoratrice of Amun, during Piankhi’s reign.
Tadukhipa (fl. 14th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Eighteenth Dynasty, a Mitanni princess She was a consort of amenhotep iii (r. 1391-1353 b. c.e.) and a mitanni royal princess, given to Amen-hotep iii to cement the ties between Egypt and her homeland. Tadukhipa was also a niece of the mitanni princess Khirgipa, who had entered Amenhotep Ill’s HAREM earlier. Tadukhipa arrived shortly before Amen-hotep iii died or perhaps soon after. she is mentioned in a letter written by Queen tiye (1), Amenhotep Ill’s widow, as having married akhenaten. As a result, some scholars believe that Tadukhipa was Queen kiya of Akhenaten’s court.
Taharqa (Khure’ nefertem, Tarku, Tirhaka) (d. 664
B. c.e.) Ruler of the Nubian Twenty-fifth Dynasty He reigned from 690 b. c.e. until forced to abandon Egypt. He was the son of piankhi and the cousin of shebitku, whom he succeeded. His mother, abar, came from nubia (modern Sudan) to visit and to bless his marriage to Queen amun-dyek’het. They had two sons, Nesishutef-nut, who was made the second prophet of Amun, and ushanahuru, who was ill-fated. Taharqa’s daughter, AMENIRDIS (2), was adopted by shepenwepet (2) and installed as a god’s wife of amun at thebes.
In 674 b. c.e., Taharqa met the Assyrian king ESSARHADDON and his army at Ashkelon, defeating the enemy and raising a stela to celebrate the victory He also built extensively, making additions to the temples of AMUN and MONTU at karnak and to medinet habu and MEMPHIS. One of his structures at Karnak was erected between a sacred lake and the outer wall. He built two colossal uraei at Luxor as well and a small shrine of Amun at the third cataract of the Nile.
In 680 B. C.E., Essarhaddon once again attacked Egypt and took the capital of Memphis and the royal court. Taharqa fled south, leaving Queen Amun-dyek’het and Prince Ushanahuru to face the enemy. They were taken prisoner by Essarhaddon and sent to Nineveh, Assyria, as slaves. Two years later, Taharqa marched with an army to retake Egypt, and Essarhaddon died before they met. Taharqa massacred the Assyrian garrison in Egypt when he returned. assurbanipal, Essarhaddon’s successor, defeated Taharqa. tanutamun, Taharqa’s cousin, was installed as coregent and successor and Taharqa returned to Nubia. He was buried at Nuri in Nubia. His pyramidal tomb was small but designed with three chambers.
Tait An Egyptian goddess who served as the patroness of the city of akhmin and was associated with the cults of ISIS and OSIRIS, Tait was the guardian of linen, was used in the mortuary rituals, and was depicted as a beautiful woman carrying a chest of linen. When associated with the cults of Osiris and Isis, she was called Isis-Tait. Tait aided Isis in wrapping the body of the god Osiris after he was slain by set.
Takelot I (Userma’atre’setepenamun) (d. c. 883 b. c.e.) Ruler of the Twenty-second Dynasty
He reigned from 909 b. c.e. until his death. The son of OSORKON I and Queen karomana (2) or Queen tased-KONSU, Takelot I was not the original heir. A brother, SHOSHENQ II, died before he could inherit the throne, and Takelot I became regent. He married Queen kapes, the mother of osorkon ii. Thebes revolted during Takelot I’s reign, and he sent his brother, IUWELOT, there to become the high priest of Amun, followed by smendes iii. He left no monuments and was succeeded by Osorkon II. Takelot I was interred in tanis in a gold coffin and in a sarcophagus usurped from the Twelfth Dynasty and placed in the tomb of smendes.
Takelot II (Hedjkheperre’setepenre) (d. 835 b. c.e.) Ruler of the Twenty-second Dynasty
He reigned from 860 b. c.e. until his death. Takelot II was the son of osorkon ii and Queen karomana (4) but not the original heir. A brother, Shoshenq, did not live long enough to inherit the throne. nimlot, the high priest of Thebes, was his half brother. Takelot II married Nimlot’s daughter, karomana (5) Merymut, who was the mother
Of OSORKON III.
During his reign, Takelot faced a Theban revolt led by HARSIESE. He sent his son, Prince osorkon, to thebes to put down the rebellion that raged for a decade. A truce was finally drawn up but a second revolt began soon after. The rebellion was recorded on the walls of karnak at Thebes. Takelot was buried in the tanis tomb of his father.
Takelot III (fl. c. 749 b. c.e.) Ruler of the obscure Twenty-third Dynasty at Leontopolis
The dates of his reign are unknown. He was the son of OSORKON III and Queen karaotjet so probably inherited the throne c. 749 b. c.e. In that time of turmoil, Takelot III was named to the throne of shoshenq v at tanis and also held sway over herakleopolis. He ruled only two years, however, and during that time appointed his sister SHEPENWEPET (1) the god’s WIFE OF AMUN at Thebes. RUDAMON, his brother, succeeded him. Takelot Ill’s family was buried at deir el-bahri in Thebes, interred on a terrace of hatshepsut’s shrine. His tomb has not been discovered.
Takhat (1) (fl. 13th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Nineteenth Dynasty and the mother of a usurper She was probably a lesser-ranked consort of merenptah (r. 1224-1214 b. c.e.). Takhat was also the mother of AMENMESSES, who usurped the throne from seti ii (r. 1214-1204 b. c.e.). She was probably a daughter of RAMESSES II. Takhat was buried in the tomb of Amen-messes. Some records list her as a consort of seti ii and as the mother of Amenmesses and Seti-Merenptah. She was reportedly depicted on a statue of Seti II at karnak.
Takhat (2) (fl. 12th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Twentieth Dynasty
She was the wife of Prince Montuhirkhopshef, a son of RAMESSES III (1194-1163 b. c.e.). Takhat was the mother
Of RAMESSES IX.
Takhat (3) (fl. sixth century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty
She was a consort of psammetichus ii (r. 595-589 b. c.e.). Takhat may have been the mother of apries.
Takheredeneset (fl. sixth century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty
She was the mother of amasis (r. 570-526 b. c.e.). A commoner by birth, Takheredeneset watched her son’s military career. Amasis usurped the throne from Apries after the Egyptian army revolted over foreign battles, but his mother may have died before this occurred.
Talatat They were small stone blocks used in the ’amarna Period, in the reign of akhenaten (1353-1335 b. c.e.) in his capital. The name of the stone is taken from the Arabic for “hand breaths” or may be a variation of the Italian tagliata, or “cut stonework.” The talatat blocks were fashioned out of sandstone and normally had beautiful decorative reliefs. When Akhenaten died and ’Amarna was abandoned, the talatat blocks were removed from the original site and used by successive rulers for their own construction projects. They have been identified at such sites as karnak and hermopolis magna.
Tale of Khufu and the Magicians A series of literary texts found in the westcar papyrus and sometimes called King Cheops and the Magicians. The tale in this cycle records the stories told by khufu (Cheops; 2551-2528 B. C.E.) at his court. Delightful images of pharaohs sailing in gilded barges with beautiful maidens cast only in fishnets and details of magical spells compose the stories, but the important element is a prediction about the births of the first three pharaohs of the next dynasty, the Fifth (2465-2323 b. c.e.).
Tale of Mohor See travels of an Egyptian.
Tale of Prince Setna A literary text discovered in the Ptolemaic Period (304-30 b. c.e.) but concerning a supposed son of RAMESSES II (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.) of the Nineteenth Dynasty Prince Setna sees a woman named Tabubna, the daughter of a Bastite priest. Losing his heart to her, Setna enters into a life of servitude and eventual horror. Tabubna has cast a spell on him and forces him to undertake torments and bear shame, eventually killing his own children. At the end of the tale Setna wakes up and discovers that he was only dreaming. He is safe and free of his devouring love for Tabubna.
Tale of Sinuhe See sinuhe the sailor.
Tale of the Doomed Prince It is an Egyptian literary work dating to the New Kingdom Period (1550-1070 B. C.E.) and found in the Harris papyrus 500 from the reign of ramesses iv (1163-1156 b. c.e.). This is a story of an Egyptian prince among the mitannis. He finds true love with a princess of that land but faces three fates. Love and loyalty are the main elements of the tale, but the resolution is missing, leaving the reader pondering the prince’s final destiny The tale is incomplete in extant form.
Tale of the Eloquent Peasant See “the eloquent peasant” of herakleopolis.
Tale of the Shepherds it is a fragmented text now in a papyrus in the Egyptian Museum, in Berlin. Also called the Tale of the Herders, the work relates how shepherds discover a goddess in a shrub along the Nile. The goddess alarms the shepherds, who run to the local chieftain and inform him of their encounter. The chieftain returns with them to the scene, where he chants spells that force the goddess to leave the shelter of the shrub. She then “came forth, terrible in appearance.” What happens at this point is unknown as the ending of the tale has been lost.
Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor Discovered in a papyrus from the Middle Kingdom (2040-1640 b. c.e.), it is the story of an expedition returning by sea from the southern domains of Egypt or possibly from a trade expedition. A sailor recounts the adventures that took place when his boat was damaged and sank during a storm. He alone survived the ordeal, swimming to an island. A gigantic snake ruled the island, the only survivor of its species after an attack by comets or a falling star. The serpent counseled the sailor and inspired in him patience and valor. When a ship came within sight of the island, the serpent restored him to his fellowmen, with gifts of ointments, myrrh, animals, and other precious objects that the sailor delivered to the pharaoh.
The papyrus upon which the tale was copied is in the Hermitage collection in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is noted for its detailed account of the voyages undertaken in the areas of the Red and Mediterranean Seas, especially the trips to PUNT. The tale was written by a scribe, Amen-a’a, the son of one Amenti.
Tale of Two Brothers it is a text found in the Papyrus d’orbiney in the British Museum in London. Considered one of the finest examples of Egyptian narrative literature and dated to the Nineteenth Dynasty (1307-1196 b. c.e.), the story is an account of the adventures of two Egyptian deities. Anup, believed to represent anubis, and Bata (or Batu), a Predynastic god, are caught in a triangle when Anup’s wife tries to seduce Bata and fails. In revenge she claims that he assaulted her. Anup sets out to kill Bata, who flees.
The god SHU, seeing that evil is taking place, separates the two with a stream filled with crocodiles, and there, Bata explains what really happened. Anup, ashamed, goes home to kill his wife and to throw her to the DOGS. Bata goes on a journey and has many adventures, siring a future ruler of Egypt. His journey is religious in nature and much beloved by the Egyptians for its didactic overtones. The tale was reported to be in the library of seti ii (r. 1214-1204 b. c.e.).
Tale of Wenamun See wenamun.
Tamara (Ta-Mera) This was the Egyptian word for “the Land of the Inundation” and the name for Egypt used by the native population.
Tanis This is the modern Sa’el Hagar, located in the western Delta on an enormous mound at Lake menzala, an important port. The site was once sacred to the god SET and was a NOME capital. The Egyptians called it Dja-net, Djarnet, or Dj’ane. Tanis became important during the Twenty-first Dynasty (1070-945 b. c.e.) and the Twenty-second Dynasty (945-712 b. c.e.), but the hyksos were also in the region during the Second intermediate
Period (1640-1550 b. c.e.) and a shrine on the site contains the seals of ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.).
The great temple of amun in Tanis contains six royal tombs, three of them found intact. The main portion of the tomb and 15 obelisks date to Ramesses II, and the gate of the shrine to the reign of shoshenq iii ( 835-783 b. c.e.).
Another temple on the site was erected in the Thirtieth Dynasty (380-343 b. c.e.). This shrine had a lake on the northeastern corner and was made out of granite with palmiform columns. A limestone gate erected by PTOLEMY I SOTER (r. 304-284 b. c.e.) was also discovered. Attached to this Amun complex was a temple dedicated to the god HORUS, with additional chapels for the deities MUT, KHONS (1), and ASTARTE (Ishtar), who was a Canaanite goddess.
Royal tombs were uncovered as well in the area of Tanis in deep chambers. osorkon ii (r. 883-855 b. c.e.) was buried in a chamber of granite, with adjoining limestone rooms. TAKELOT II (r. 860-835 b. c.e.) was also discovered in this tomb, which had Osirian decorations. The tomb of PSUSENNES I (r. 1040-992 b. c.e.) contained his royal remains and those of psusennes ii (r. 959-945 b. c.e.), amenemope (r. 993-984 b. c.e.), and shoshenq ii (r. 883 b. c.e.). An unidentified mummy was also found there.
The remains of Psusennes i were found buried in a pink granite sarcophagus with a mask of gold, all probably usurped from earlier burial sites. A silver coffin was discovered as well inside the sarcophagus and the remains of shoshenq iii (r. 835-783 b. c.e.) had been deposited there.
Tanis Sphinxes They are figures made for amenemhet III (r. 1844-1797 b. c.e.) in conjunction with the local cult rituals conducted in the faiyum and other regions. This SPHINX form is a recumbent lion with outstretched paws, a human face, and a large leonine mane. The ears of the Tanis Sphinxes were large. This type of sphinx was brought to Tanis during the Ramessid Period (1307-1070 b. c.e.) and remains associated with that site. hatshepsut (r. 1473-1458 b. c.e.) was memorialized as a Tanis sphinx.
Tanis Stela A monument erected by ptolemy ii PHILADELPHUS (r. 285-246 b. c.e.), the stela depicts him and his consort arsinoe (2). The ruler wears the red and white crowns of Egypt and carries a scepter. Arsinoe is shown wearing the red crown with isis plumes, the horns of HATHOR, and the horns of amun. She carries a scepter and an ankh.
Tanqur It is a site in nubia (modern Sudan), located about 75 miles above the second cataract of the Nile. An inscription erected there in the reign of tuthmosis i (1504-1492 b. c.e.) depicts that pharaoh’s hand-to-hand battle with a local chief during a military campaign. This expedition, which ultimately continued on to Tombos, took place in Tuthmosis I’s second regnal year. The viceroy of Nubia serving Tuthmosis i erected the monument to commemorate the event. Tanqur has dangerous outcroppings, making travel on that part of the Nile perilous.
Tantamani See tanutamun.
Tantamun (1) (fl. 11th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Twentieth Dynasty
She was the consort of ramesses xi (r. 1100-1070 b. c.e.) and the mother of Princess tantamun (2) and Princess henuttawy.
Tantamun (2) (fl. 11th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Twenty-first Dynasty
The consort of smendes (r. 1070-1044 b. c.e.), Tantamun was the daughter of ramesses xi and Queen tantamun (1).
Tanutamun (Bakare, Tantamani) (d. c. 655 b. c.e.) Fourth ruler of the Nubian Twenty-fifth Dynasty He reigned from 664 b. c.e. until 657 b. c.e. He then retired from Egypt and possibly ruled for a time in nubia (modern Sudan). Tanutamun was a nephew of taharqa, who had suffered defeat at the hands of the Assyrians. When ASSURBANIPAL attacked Egypt and looted thebes, Tanutamun retired to Nubia. He had won back Thebes, ASWAN, and Memphis prior to Assurbanipal’s invasion. In that campaign he put necho i to death in 664 b. c.e. and forced psammetichus i to flee to Assyria.
A stela inscribed in gebel barkal depicts Tanuta-mun’s coronation at Napata in 664 b. c.e. Called “the Dream Stela,” this monument also details Tanutamun’s dream of two snakes. He believed this vision symbolized that he would rule both Upper and Lower Egypt. Tanutamun was buried at Nuri, the royal necropolis in Nubia.
Ta’o I (Senakhtenre, Djehuti’o) (d. c. 1540 b. c.e.) Ruler of the Seventeenth Dynasty, at Thebes The dates of his reign are not known. Ta’o I apparently usurped the throne of Thebes from inyotef vii and was possibly related to inyotef v. Ta’o ruled contemporaneously with the HYKSOS but maintained control of Egypt as far south as ASWAN.
His queen was a commoner, tetisheri, who outlived him and directed the course of Theban affairs for decades. He also married a Queen mentjuhotep. Ta’o I and Tetisheri resided at deir el-ballas, north of Thebes. His children included ta’o ii and Princess ah’hotep (1). Ta’o i, called the Elder, was the third ruler of a second group of the Seventeenth Dynasty. He was buried in Thebes.
Ta’o II (Sekenenre, Djehuti’o) (d. 1555 b. c.e.) Second to the last ruler of the Seventeenth Dynasty at Thebes Called also “the Brave,” Ta’o II ruled from an unknown date until c. 1555 b. c.e. as a contemporary of the hyksos at AVARIS. The son of ta’o i and Queen tetisheri, Ta’o II married Queen Ah’hotep (I), who bore him two sons, KAMOSE and ’ahmose, and many daughters. He also had lesser consorts, ’ahmose-in-hapi and henutempet.
Around 1554 b. c.e., Ta’o II received a message from the HYKSOS king apophis (r. 1585-1553 b. c.e.), complaining that the sacred hippopotami in the temple pool at Thebes kept him awake at night. The message, contained in the sallier papyrus II and called the QUARREL OF APOPHIS AND sekenenrE (ta’o Ii), was obviously a calculated error. Apophis’s residence at avaris was more than 400 miles to the north, which meant that the announcement was politically nuanced, perhaps a provocation.
Ta’o II responded instantly by starting military campaigns against the Hyksos holdings. He met a violent death, probably at the hands of enemy attackers during this campaign. His mummified remains, buried originally in dra-abu el-naga, and then placed in the royal mummy cache at deir el-bahri, clearly demonstrate the ferocity of the attackers.
Ta’o II suffered five major wounds, including two axe cuts that caused a skull fracture, a blow to the bridge of his nose, a blow to the left cheek, and another to the right side of his head. His ribs and vertebrae were also damaged. His attackers used axes, spears, and possibly arrows. Ta’o II must have been assaulted while asleep, as the arms and hands bore no wounds. His mummified remains indicate that Ta’o II was slender and muscular, with long black curly hair and a healthy set of teeth. He was buried in a large anthropoid coffin with the rishi design.
Taramsa This is a site at dendereh, demonstrating the Middle Paleolithic Period culture now called Taramsa. Various artifacts were recovered there, as well as the remains of a small child, dating to c. 55,000 b. c.e.
Tarif, el - It was a site on the western shore of the Nile, the northernmost necropolis of thebes. Large and filled with monuments, Tarif was connected to the mortuary complex of montuhotep ii (r. 2061-2010 b. c.e.). The site was constructed in a rock court and contained “saff” TOMBS, taken from the Arabic for “row.” Tombs from the Eleventh Dynasty, as well as the old Kingdom period (2575-2134 b. c.e.) mastabas, were found there. The three most impressive tombs belong to inyotef i (r. 2134-2118 b. c.e.) at Saff el-Dawaba, inyotef ii (r. 2118-2069 b. c.e.) at Saff el Kisasiya, and inyotef iii (r. 2069-2061 b. c.e.) at Saff el-Bagar. These tombs had doors and pillared facades.
Tarkhan It was a site in the faiyum region of the Nile, located on the western bank in an area called the lower valley. The necropolis there dates to the old Kingdom Period (2575-2134 b. c.e.). Predynastic tombs were also built in Tarkhan, where mortuary regalia and the names of various rulers, including narmer, were unearthed.
Tarset (fl. 28th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the First Dynasty
She was the consort of ’adjib (c. 2700 b. c.e.). The ranking queen, Tarset was also the mother of semerkhet, the heir. She was probably the ranking heiress of the Memphis clans, married to ’Adjib to consolidate his political claims to the throne.
Tasedkhonsu (fl. 10th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Libyan Twenty-second Dynasty
She was the consort of osorkon i (r. 924-909 b. c.e.). The ranking queen, Tasedkhonsu was the mother of takelot I, SMENDES III, and Prince iuwelot.
Tatenen (Tenen, Ta-tonen) He was an earth deity of Egypt, also called Tenen, or Ta-tonen. Tatenen was believed to have emerged from the watery abyss as “the Lord of Creation” and was worshiped in Memphis. His name meant “the Risen Land,” and he was also called “the Revered One.” Tatenen always carried two staffs that he brought into the world to repel the serpent from the great PRIMEVAL MOUND. He also carried a mace, called “the Great White of the Earth Makers,” the cultic origin unknown, and the weapon was dedicated to his son, the falcon. This mace had magical powers and in some historical periods was worshiped as a separate deity The famous DJED pillar was brought into the world by Tatenen, as well as another amulet called “the Similitude of the Front of the God.” Tatenen became associated with the cult of ptah and his djed pillar became a popular symbol of OSIRIS.
Tawaret (Taueret, Thueris) Also called Thueris by the Greeks, she was the patroness of childbirth in ancient Egypt. Tawaret was normally depicted as a hippopotamus, sometimes dressed in the robes of a queen and wearing a lion’s mane and a crown. Her head had the shape of a crocodile’s snout and she had the feet of a lion.
Tawaret was also shown as a hippopotamus with the head of a lion. In this form she carried daggers that she used to smite the spiritual and physical enemies of Egypt. Tawaret carried the SA amulet. Her cult center was at Thebes and she remained popular during celebrations at OPET (modern luxor), where a Beautiful Feast of Tawaret was conducted each year.
Tcharu (Tharu) It was an Egyptian fortified city near modern El-Qantara, bordering the sinai Peninsula. The site was located on the way of horus, a military highway used by the Egyptians. Tcharu was renamed Sile by the Greeks during the Ptolemaic Period. The city was an outpost on the military road that led through the bitter LAKES and Arish to Gaza in Palestine. A canal dating to the reign of Necho II was fortified when it was built, and Tcharu had protected wells and compounds to defend it from BEDOUIN or Asiatic attacks.
Tchay (Tchoy) (fl. 13th century b. c.e.) Court official of the Nineteenth Dynasty
He served merenptah (r. 1224-1214 b. c.e.) as a royal scribe of dispatches. His tomb on the western shore of Thebes was discovered at khokha and celebrated for its size and decorations. Tchay’s tomb contains reliefs of the Book of the Gates, a mortuary text, and portraits of amen-HOTEP I (r. 1525-1504 b. c.e.) and Queen ’ahmose-nefer-TARI. These royals had been deified during the Eighteenth Dynasty Other reliefs depict a tree goddess, scenes of the celebration of the festival of sokar, baboons adoring the rising sun, and a solar boat. Portraits of Tchay and his family were included.
Teachings of Tuaf This was a text used in Egyptian schools in the New Kingdom Period (1550-1070 b. c.e.). The text was copied by students and used to inspire SCRIBES. It appears to be a version of the SATIRE ON TRADES. Texts from older eras remained ever popular and were used in educational and religious settings in all historical periods.
Tebtynis It was a site in the faiyum region of Egypt, the modern omm el-Borigat. Tebtynis was a cult center of the god SOBEK and contained a temple honoring that deity. The temple dates to the Middle Kingdom Period (2040-1640 B. C.E.) and was designed with a square tanklike lake in the main courtyard. crocodiles, the theo-PHANIES of sobek, were probably maintained in this lake. Reliefs dating to the Ptolemaic Period (304-30 b. c.e.) were discovered in a vestibule of the temple. The shrine was enclosed by a mud-brick wall. A treasure trove of papyri was discovered at Tebtynis.
Tefibi (fl. c. 21st century b. c.e.) Aristocrat of the Ninth Dynasty who was accused of sacrilege He served in the reign of khety iii (date of reign unknown) and was a nobleman of assiut. Tefibi joined Khety III in plundering tombs in the abydos region while on a campaign against the Thebans. This act of sacrilege brought the ruler and Tefibi shame and prompted the Thebans to begin the reunification of Egypt, ending the Khety rule. Tefibi’s tomb in Assiut was shared by his sons, KHETY I and ii, and is located in a cliff overlooking the area. He was a disciple of the wolf or jackal deity WEPWAWET.
Tefnakhte (Shepsesre) (d. 717 b. c.e.) Founder of the short-lived Twenty-fourth Dynasty at Sais He ruled from 724 b. c.e. until his death. Tefnakhte held the areas called “the Four Chiefs of Ma,” Libyan enclaves. These were sebennytos, busiris, mendes, and Pi-Sopd. He was allied with osorkon ii and iuput ii of tanis and LEONTOPOLIS when the Nubians (modern Sudanese) began their invasion of Egypt. When piankhi entered Egypt with his Nubian troops, Tefnakhte went to herak-LEOPOLIS to defeat him. Piankhi easily routed the Egyptian coalition forces, however, and Osorkon II and other allies surrendered.
Tefnakhte fled to MEMPHIS and was captured there and exiled to a remote area of the Delta. He swore allegiance to Piankhi, but in 720 or 719 b. c.e. he declared himself sole ruler of Egypt. A stela from his era shows him worshiping the goddess neith (1). Tefnakhte was succeeded on the throne by his son bakenrenef (Boccho-ris) in 717 b. c.e.
Tefnut (Tefent) She was an ancient Egyptian goddess, honored as the twin sister and consort of SHU. Originally she was the consort of a god named Tefen, but his cult disappeared. As Tefen’s wife, she was called Tefent. Tefnut personified moisture, rain, and dew and also had a place in solar cults. She was associated with ptah at Heliopolis. Tefnut served as a means by which Ptah brought life into the world.
In historical periods, Tefnut was associated with the goddess ma’at and represented the space between heaven and earth. With Ma’at, Tefnut was sometimes viewed as a spiritual force rather than a divine being. she was depicted as a lioness or as a woman with a lion’s head. Tefnut supported the sky with Shu and received the newly risen sun each morning.
Tehenu A brown-skinned people depicted in ancient art as a Libyan tribe from the Libyan desert, the Tehenu were involved in the various Libyan attempts to invade Egypt’s Delta region throughout the centuries.
Tehenu A mortuary symbol made of reeds and fashioned to represent a human being with or without a head, the tekenu was placed on a sled and pulled by oxen to funerals. There the oxen were slain and the tekenu burned. The ritual dates to the earliest eras of Egypt and may have commemorated the ceremonies in which courtiers, prisoners of war, and other individuals were sacrificed to accompany royal persons to the grave. The tekenu assumed any guilt assigned to the deceased and purified the newly departed for eternity.
See also mortuary rituals.
Tell el-Dab’a It was a site in the eastern Delta, part of the HYKSOS encampment at avaris during the Second
Intermediate Period (1640-1550 b. c.e.) and settled as early as the Thirteenth Dynasty by the Asiatics. Hyksos-style residences, tombs, and statues have been found at Tell el-Dab’a, along with hundreds of artifacts from the period of Hyksos domination.
Tell el-Habua It was a fortified site in the eastern Delta, east of tell el-dab’a. The area was populated and given defensive structures during the Middle Kingdom Period (2040-1640 b. c.e.), possibly serving as a component of the fortifications called the wall of the prince.
World History
