As is the case with most creation stories, the ancient Egyptians created stories to try to explain their place in the cosmos. Their understanding of the cosmic order was from direct observation of nature. Therefore their creation stories concern themselves with gods of nature; the earth, the sky, the sun, the moon, the stars, and of course, the Nile river. Since creation is an impossible act without a Creator, ancient Egyptian creation stories also give life to the creative entity, Atum.
.Since the Nile river, with its annual floods played a critical role in this cosmic order. It should come as no surprise to find water the fundamental element in the Egyptians ideas of creation. For the Egyptians to watch the flooding of their land would have been like watching an earthly model of their ideas of a watery creation.
. . . . In the beginning there was only water, a chaos of water. This water, the Egyptians called Nu. It was out of Nu that everything began. As with the Nile, each year the flooding no doubt caused chaos to all creatures living on the land, so this represents Nu. Eventually the floods would recede and out of the chaos of water would emerge a hill of dry land, one at first, then more. On this first dry hilltop, on the first day, came the first sunrise. So that is how the ancient Egyptians explain the beginning of all things.
.Not surprisingly, the sun was also among the most important elements in the Egyptians lives and therefore had an important role as a creator god. The Creator’s names and attributes varied greatly. As the rising sun, his name was Khepri, the great scarab beetle, who was seen as a winged solar-disk of the eastern horizon. As the sun climbed toward mid-day it was called Ra, great and strong. When the sun set in the west it was known as Atum the old man. The sun was also said to be an egg laid daily by Geb, when he took the form of a goose.
To the ancient Egyptians the moon was an element of darkness which battled the sun an element of light. This battle of darkness and light was pinnacle in the duality which surrounded ancient Egyptian life. As an attribute of the god Atum, the moon represented his left eye while his right eye was the sun. Seth, a lunar god, struggles with the sun god Atum, and is seen as a god of darkness doing constant battle with the god of light. This battle between darkness and light is found in the cosmological make up of the ancient Egyptian creation story.
To the Egyptians the sky was a goddess called Nut. She was often shown as a cow standing over the earth with her eyes being the sun and the moon. She is kept from falling to earth by Shu, who was the god of air and wind. As a heavenly cow, she gave birth to the sun daily. The sun would ride across Nut's star covered belly, which was a great cosmic ocean. Then as evening fell, Nut would swallow the sun creating darkness. Nut is also pictured as a giant sow, suckling many piglets. These piglets represented the stars, which she swallowed each morning before dawn. Beneath her stretched the ocean, in the center of which lay her husband Geb, the earth-god. He is often seen leaning on one elbow, with a knee bent toward the sky, this is representitive of the mountains and valleys of the earth. Green vegetation would sprout from Geb's brown or red body.
AtumThe Creator.
In the beginning there was only watery chaos, called Nu. Out of these chaotic waters rose Atum. It is believed that he created himself, using his thoughts and will. In the watery chaos, Atum found no place on which to stand. In the place where he first appeared, he created a dry hill. This hill was said to be the spot on which a temple of ancient Egypt was built. In this interpretation, Atum may represent the fertile, life giving hills left behind by the receding waters of the Nile's annual flood. In this ancient Egyptian context, Atum identifies with the sun god Ra. By this time, Atum’s emergence on the dry hill can be interpreted as the coming of light into the darkness of Nu.
Atum’s next act was to create more gods. Because he was all alone in the world, without a mate, Atum made a union with his shadow. This unusual way of procreating offspring was not considered strange to the Egyptians. Atum, regarded as a bisexual god, was sometimes called the 'Great He-She’. The Egyptians were thus able to present Atum as the one and only creative force in the universe.
According to ancient Egypt’s stories of creation, Atum's children habitat was on a dry hill. In some cases, Atum stayed in the waters of Nu to create his son and daughter. He gave birth to his son by spitting him out. His daughter he vomited. Shu represented the air and Tefnut was a goddess of water. Shu and Tefnut continued the act of creation by establishing a social order. To this order Shu contributed the 'principles of Life', while Tefnut contributed the 'principles of order'.
After some time, Shu and Tefnut became separated from their father and lost in the watery chaos of Nu. Atum; had only one eye, which was removable. Atum removed the eye and sent it in search of his children. In time they returned with the eye. At this reunion Atum wept tears joy, where these tears hit the ground, men grew. Now Atum was ready to create the world. So Shu and Tefnut became the parents of Geb, the earth and Nut, the sky.
Ra Un Nefer Amen I, Metu Neter. Khamit Corp. Brooklyn, New York
Byron E. Shafer, “Egyptian Mythology” http://www.touregypt.net/gods1.htm
“Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths”
Byron E. Shafer, “From Religion in Ancient Egypt” www.touregypt.net/ featurestories/creation.htm
Fischer, Henry George, “The Origin of Egyptian Hieroglyphs”, http://www.mythome.org/creategy.html
.Since the Nile river, with its annual floods played a critical role in this cosmic order. It should come as no surprise to find water the fundamental element in the Egyptians ideas of creation. For the Egyptians to watch the flooding of their land would have been like watching an earthly model of their ideas of a watery creation.
. . . . In the beginning there was only water, a chaos of water. This water, the Egyptians called Nu. It was out of Nu that everything began. As with the Nile, each year the flooding no doubt caused chaos to all creatures living on the land, so this represents Nu. Eventually the floods would recede and out of the chaos of water would emerge a hill of dry land, one at first, then more. On this first dry hilltop, on the first day, came the first sunrise. So that is how the ancient Egyptians explain the beginning of all things.
.Not surprisingly, the sun was also among the most important elements in the Egyptians lives and therefore had an important role as a creator god. The Creator’s names and attributes varied greatly. As the rising sun, his name was Khepri, the great scarab beetle, who was seen as a winged solar-disk of the eastern horizon. As the sun climbed toward mid-day it was called Ra, great and strong. When the sun set in the west it was known as Atum the old man. The sun was also said to be an egg laid daily by Geb, when he took the form of a goose.
To the ancient Egyptians the moon was an element of darkness which battled the sun an element of light. This battle of darkness and light was pinnacle in the duality which surrounded ancient Egyptian life. As an attribute of the god Atum, the moon represented his left eye while his right eye was the sun. Seth, a lunar god, struggles with the sun god Atum, and is seen as a god of darkness doing constant battle with the god of light. This battle between darkness and light is found in the cosmological make up of the ancient Egyptian creation story.
To the Egyptians the sky was a goddess called Nut. She was often shown as a cow standing over the earth with her eyes being the sun and the moon. She is kept from falling to earth by Shu, who was the god of air and wind. As a heavenly cow, she gave birth to the sun daily. The sun would ride across Nut's star covered belly, which was a great cosmic ocean. Then as evening fell, Nut would swallow the sun creating darkness. Nut is also pictured as a giant sow, suckling many piglets. These piglets represented the stars, which she swallowed each morning before dawn. Beneath her stretched the ocean, in the center of which lay her husband Geb, the earth-god. He is often seen leaning on one elbow, with a knee bent toward the sky, this is representitive of the mountains and valleys of the earth. Green vegetation would sprout from Geb's brown or red body.
AtumThe Creator.
In the beginning there was only watery chaos, called Nu. Out of these chaotic waters rose Atum. It is believed that he created himself, using his thoughts and will. In the watery chaos, Atum found no place on which to stand. In the place where he first appeared, he created a dry hill. This hill was said to be the spot on which a temple of ancient Egypt was built. In this interpretation, Atum may represent the fertile, life giving hills left behind by the receding waters of the Nile's annual flood. In this ancient Egyptian context, Atum identifies with the sun god Ra. By this time, Atum’s emergence on the dry hill can be interpreted as the coming of light into the darkness of Nu.
Atum’s next act was to create more gods. Because he was all alone in the world, without a mate, Atum made a union with his shadow. This unusual way of procreating offspring was not considered strange to the Egyptians. Atum, regarded as a bisexual god, was sometimes called the 'Great He-She’. The Egyptians were thus able to present Atum as the one and only creative force in the universe.
According to ancient Egypt’s stories of creation, Atum's children habitat was on a dry hill. In some cases, Atum stayed in the waters of Nu to create his son and daughter. He gave birth to his son by spitting him out. His daughter he vomited. Shu represented the air and Tefnut was a goddess of water. Shu and Tefnut continued the act of creation by establishing a social order. To this order Shu contributed the 'principles of Life', while Tefnut contributed the 'principles of order'.
After some time, Shu and Tefnut became separated from their father and lost in the watery chaos of Nu. Atum; had only one eye, which was removable. Atum removed the eye and sent it in search of his children. In time they returned with the eye. At this reunion Atum wept tears joy, where these tears hit the ground, men grew. Now Atum was ready to create the world. So Shu and Tefnut became the parents of Geb, the earth and Nut, the sky.
Ra Un Nefer Amen I, Metu Neter. Khamit Corp. Brooklyn, New York
Byron E. Shafer, “Egyptian Mythology” http://www.touregypt.net/gods1.htm
“Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths”
Byron E. Shafer, “From Religion in Ancient Egypt” www.touregypt.net/ featurestories/creation.htm
Fischer, Henry George, “The Origin of Egyptian Hieroglyphs”, http://www.mythome.org/creategy.html
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