Hedjhotep, Tayet and Neith

On this day Hedjhotep and Tayet come forth from the Great Temple of Heliopolis. They present their gifts to Neith, one of the most ancient deities (early Pre-Dynastic Period c. 6000 – 3150 BCE).
Hedjhotep is the God of linen and Tayet is the Goddess of weaving. In a text from the Temple of Hathor at Dendera (circa 1500 BC), Tayet is said to be she “who purifies the Goddesses,
who did spin of old and was the first to weave,” (Dendara IV, 125, 5-6).
Neith was goddess of creation, war goddess, mother goddess who invented birth, and funerary goddess who cared for and helped to dress the souls of the dead, hence the gifts of linen and weavings from Tayet.
Neith continued to be honored as the patron goddess of Sais throughout Egypt’s history; considered a great protector of the people of the land and the most effective mediator between humanity and the gods.

Depictions from the temple of Hathor at Dendera show Tayet personally arraying Hathor in her ceremonial clothing (Dendara IV, 179, 10-14 and 265, 13-14). Tayet interfaces between the Gods and the world and is hailed as “mother of the Gods, mistress of the Goddesses, who arrays the images [i.e., the cult statues of the Gods] in her handiwork, gives sweetness to their flesh, clothes their bodies and gives health to their frames,” (Dendara IV, 101, 12-13).  Statues representing the Gods and Goddesses were clothed and the clothing of these statues in the temples are called “the great adornments of Tayet,” (Dendara IV, 106, 3-4).

Today we honor and invoke Tayet as she blesses textiles, clothing and other offerings presented before her, assuring their purity and perfection.