Menite

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Part of a menat, around 870 BC. BC, Egyptian Museum Berlin

A menit ( plural meniut , also menyet or menat ) was a multi-row strand of pearls with a specially shaped counterweight, which was worn by women in ancient Egypt as jewelry, was a cult object related to the goddess Hathor and possibly served as a musical instrument.

use

The Lady Taui of the Tomb of the Night with a menit in her hand

The menit was worn as a necklace or acted as a rattle . It often occurs with a sistrum . When used as a musical instrument, the counterweight served as a handle. Archaeological finds mostly only show the counterweights made of faience or metal , which were usually decorated with motifs.

The use was based on the type of festival that was either used to appease the angry aspect or to honor divine goodness.

The menit was therefore often associated with cults of the goddesses Hathor, Bastet , Sopdet , Tefnut , Sachmet and Isis . It is often depicted on ancient Egyptian works of art such as statues or murals.

See also

literature

  • Hans Bonnet : Menat. In: Lexicon of Egyptian Religious History. 3rd unchanged edition. Nikol, Hamburg 2000, ISBN 3-937872-08-6 , pp. 450f.
  • Carola Metzner-Nebelsick (ed.): Rituals in prehistory, antiquity and the present. Studies in Near Eastern, Prehistoric and Classical Archeology, Egyptology, Ancient History, Theology and Religious Studies. Interdisciplinary conference from 1st to 2nd February 2002 at the Free University of Berlin (= international archeology. Working group, symposium, conference, congress. Vol. 4). Leidorf, Rahden 2003, ISBN 3-89646-434-5 .

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