Tatenen was a seldom depicted very old god from the Memphis area usually portrayed as a young man.

He represented the Earth, where he was born in the moment it rose from the water chaos. He had a staff to repel the evil serpent from the Primeval Mound and a magical mace dedicated to the falcon. That mace was in some places venerated as "The Great White of the Earth Creator".

He brought the Djed-pillars of stability to Egypt and was also combined with the god Ptah (as Ptah-Tenen) with the cult centre at the capital Memphis. He wore a similar crown with plumes, sun disc and horns, as his local colleague Ptah-Sokar and can be confused with him.