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Encyclopedia of African Religion

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Encyclopedia of African Religion

Molefi Kete Asante & Ama Mazama

Pub. date: 2009 | Online Pub. Date: January 26, 2009 | DOI: 10.4135/9781412964623 | Print ISBN: 9781412936361 | Online ISBN: 9781412964623| Publisher:SAGE Publications, Inc.

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Tefnut

Ana Monteiro-Ferreira

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 ...

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