The Tet is a distinctive type of amulet that was fashioned in ancient Egypt.
It's purpose was protective and it was typically made of carnelian,
red jasper or faience, but was sometimes carved
from other materials such as lapis lazuli.
The hieroglypic symbols at the top of the page show the words "Tet of Carnelian,"
as recorded in the Papyrus of Ani, or as it is better known: The Egyptian Book of the Dead.
According to Egyptian Mythology, the god Osiris battled
with his brother Set for dominion over the world. Set
triumphed, and having done so, dismembered the body of
Osiris and scattered the pieces over Egypt.Isis, the
sister-wife of Osiris, wept tears of blood, upon hearing
of Osiris' death. Isis then caused these tears to be
transformed into the crystal known as carnelian, a very
hard reddish-colored stone. Isis then shaped the
crystallized tears into an amulet - the one now known
as a Tet (sometimes written as Tyet or Tit).
Isis had the pieces of Osiris' body reassembled, and briefly
re-incarnated her brother-husband, long enough to conceive their
son Horus, who went onto conquer and banish Set.
Osiris was then sent into the underworld, or "Tuat," where he
became the Prince of the Afterlife. To protect Osiris on his
journey, Isis placed the Tet amulet upon the neck of her beloved,
spoke some words of magic over the Tet, and sent Osiris on his way.
The translated Chapter of A Tet of Carnelian, in the Papyrus of Ani reads thus:
"The blood of Isis, the spells of Isis, the magical
words of Isis shall keep this great (or shining)
one strong, and shall protect him from whosoever
would harm him\do to him such things as he abominateth."
Some portion or all of this passage would typically
have been inscribed via hieroglyphic symbols onto the amulet.
The Tet of Carnelian is also referred to in various manuscripts
as the Knot of Isis, Buckle of Isis, Girdle of Isis or Tie of
Isis. Although the glyph and the amulet themselves appear to be
in what some people believe to be the form of a man, most
Egyptologists believe that the form actually represents the
female reproductive organs, i.e.- the vulva\vagina of Isis.
In ancient Egypt the Tet amulet was considered to be a strong
protective influence against evil, misfortune and bodily harm.
The Tet of Carnelian shown in the above picture was created by Out West Designs
More about Osiris and Isis
