What is the Egyptian creation myth called?
Hermopolis. The creation myth promulgated in the city of Hermopolis focused on the nature of the universe before the creation of the world. The inherent qualities of the primeval waters were represented by a set of eight gods, called the Ogdoad.
Is Ra the god of creation?
As the god of the sun and creation, Ra was one of the most important Ancient Egyptian deities. Worshipped for millennia, Ra (and his cult) eventually grew to encompass aspects of other gods like Atun, Amun, and Horus. As creator and sun god, Ra was a vital part of the Egyptian pantheon.
Who is Atum in Egyptian mythology?
Atum, in ancient Egyptian religion, one of the manifestations of the sun and creator god, perhaps originally a local deity of Heliopolis. Atum wearing the double crown, depicted on a fragment of cartonnage, 200 bce–200 ce; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
Is Ra and Atum the same god?
Atum-Ra (or Ra-Atum) was another composite deity formed from two completely separate deities; however, Ra shared more similarities with Atum than with Amun. Atum was more closely linked with the sun, and was also a creator god of the Ennead.
Is Atum a god?
Atum is the god of pre-existence and post-existence. In the binary solar cycle, the serpentine Atum is contrasted with the scarab-headed god Khepri—the young sun god, whose name is derived from the Egyptian ḫpr “to come into existence”.
How did the Egyptians come up with the myth of Atum?
Other myths state Atum created by masturbation, with the hand he used in this act representing the female principle inherent within him. Yet other interpretations state that he has made union with his shadow. In the Old Kingdom, the Egyptians believed that Atum lifted the dead king’s soul from his pyramid to the starry heavens.
Who was the god of creation in Egypt?
The Egyptian creation myth of Heliopolis is quite the story and although there are some variations, we will focus on the most popular ones which centers around the god Atum, who is associated with the God Ra. The Egyptian Creation Myth – From Nun to Atum
Who are the children of the Egyptian god Atum?
After he created his children, the goddess of moisture, Tefnut, and the god of air, Shu, they themselves produced the next pair of gods: Geb, god of the earth, and Nut, goddess of the Sky. Geb and Nut then provided Atum with his great-grandchildren, namely Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys and Horus, completing the Ennead of Heliopolis.
Where was the temple of Re-Atum located in Egypt?
The remains of the ancient city of Heliopolis, the city of the sun, is located north of Cairo. The 120-ton obelisk of the Temple of Re-Atum still stands. The Egyptian name for obelisk is luna, which means pillar, and the city was once known as the city of the pillars.