| Mehen | |
|---|---|
 Mehen surroundingRa, in the form of a man with a ram head, on hisSolar Barque |
InEgyptian mythology, the nameMehen (Coptic:Ⲙⲉϩⲉⲛ), meaning 'coiled one', referred to a mythological snake-god and to aboard game.[1]
The earliest known references to Mehen occur in theCoffin Texts.[2] Mehen is a protective deity who is depicted as a snake which coils around the sun godRa during his journey through the night, for instance in theAmduat.[3]
In the German-Egyptian dictionary by R. Hannig,[4] it is said that the Mehen (mḥn) or the Mehenet (mḥnt) snake is equivalent to theOuroboros.
The precise relationship between the deity and theMehen game is unknown. For instance it is not known whether the game derives from the mythological character, or the character derives from the game.
It is known that the object known as mehen depicts a game rather than a religiousfetish as studies of paintings in tombs and game boards and equipment demonstrate this. The rules and method of playing the game are unknown, although rules have been created in modern times based on assessments of how it may have been played.
