Domains & Iconography
Domains: harvest, nourishment, Fayum
Iconography: cobra, woman with serpent head
Harvest & Storage
Renenutet governs the ripening of crops and the integrity of stored grain. Farmers thanked her at harvest and sought her vigilance over granaries through the lean months; her favor meant full jars, pest control, and safe measures.
Fayum & Thermouthis
In the Fayum, Renenutet (Thermouthis) received special honor as guardian of orchards and fields in a region transformed by irrigation. Snake‑handled jars, cobras on baskets, and reliefs pairing her with Sobek (the region’s crocodile lord) visualize an agricultural partnership of water and nourishment.
Iconography
She appears as a cobra or cobra‑headed woman, often with sheaves, scepters, or grain motifs; small amulets and basket adornments bear her likeness. In Greco‑Roman Egypt she can adopt Hellenistic dress while keeping serpent attributes—continuity beneath stylistic change.
Legacy
Receipts, granary tallies, and offering lists echo with Renenutet’s quiet importance: feed the people, keep stores honest, and bless the next sowing. Museum objects from the Fayum and Delta keep her coiled care visible over Egypt’s bread.