"Naunet" redirects here. Not to be confused with Nanuet, New York.
Nu ("Watery One") or Nun ("The Inert One") (Ancient Egyptian: nnwNānaw; Coptic: ⲚⲟⲩⲛNoun), is the personification of the primordial wateryabyss which existed at the time of creation and from which the creator sun god Ra arose,[1] in ancient Egyptian religion. Nu is one of the eight deities of the Ogdoad representing ancient Egyptian primordial Chaos from which the primordial mound arose from. Nun can be seen as the first of all the gods and the creator of reality and personification of the cosmos. Nun is also considered the god that will destroy existence and return everything to the Nun from whence it came. No cult was addressed to Nun.
Nu
An aspect of Heh which personifies the endless waters of chaos. Based on the papyrus of Ani and New Kingdom tomb paintings.
The name on Nu is paralleled with nen "inactivity" in a play of words in, "I raised them up from out of the watery mass [nu], out of inactivity [nen]". The name has also been compared to the Coptic noun "abyss; deep".[3]
Origin myth
The ancient Egyptians envisaged the oceanic abyss of the Nun as surrounding a bubble in which the sphere of life is encapsulated, representing the deepest mystery of their cosmogony.[4] In ancient Egyptian creation accounts, the original mound of land comes forth from the waters of the Nun.[5] The Nun is the source of all that appears in a differentiated world, encompassing all aspects of divine and earthly existence. In the Ennead cosmogony, Nun is perceived as transcendent at the point of creation alongside Atum the creator god.[4]
The sun rises over the circular mound of creation as goddesses pour out the primeval waters around it
Some ancient Egyptian creation myths are different, but have some elements in common. They all held that the world had arisen out of the lifeless waters of chaos, Nu. In the beginning the universe only consisted of this great chaotic cosmic ocean, and the ocean itself was referred to as Nu. At the beginning of time Mehet-Weret, portrayed as a cow with a sun disk between her horns, gives birth to the sun, said to have risen from the waters of creation and to have given birth to the sun god Ra in some myths.[6] The universe was enrapt by a vast mass of primordial waters, and the Benben, a pyramid mound, emerged amid this primal chaos. There was a blue Lotus flower with Benben, and this when it blossomed brought Ra.[citation needed]
History
Beginning with the Middle Kingdom, Nun is described as "the father of the gods" and he is depicted on temple walls throughout the rest of ancient Egyptian religious history.[4]
The Ogdoad includes along with Naunet and Nun, Amaunet and Amun; Hauhet and Heh; and Kauket and Kek. Like the other Ogdoad deities, Nu did not have temples or any center of worship. Even so, Nu was sometimes represented by a sacred lake, or, as at Abydos, by an underground stream.[citation needed]
Iconography
Nun lifts the solar barque with the new-born sun from the waters of creation.
Nun was depicted as an anthropomorphic large figure and a personification of the primordial waters,[7] with water ripples filling the body, holding a notched palm branch. Nun was also depicted in anthropomorphic form but with the head of a frog, and he was typically depicted in ancient Egyptian art holding aloft the solar barque or the sun disc. He may appear greeting the rising sun in the guise of a baboon. Nun is otherwise symbolized by the presence of a sacred cistern or lake as in the sanctuaries of Karnak and Dendara.[citation needed] Nu was shown usually as male but also had aspects that could be represented as female or male. Naunet (also spelt Nunet) is the female aspect, which is the name Nu with a female gender ending. The male aspect, Nun, is written with a male gender ending. As with the primordial concepts of the Ogdoad, Nu's male aspect was depicted as a frog, or a frog-headed man. In Ancient Egyptian art, Nun also appears as a bearded man, with blue-green skin, representing water. Naunet is represented as a snake or snake-headed woman.[citation needed]
In the 12th Hour of the Book of Gates, Nu is depicted with upraised arms holding a solar bark (or barque, a boat). The boat is occupied by eight deities with the scarabdeityKhepri standing in the middle surrounded by the seven other deities.[citation needed]
During the Late Period when Egypt was occupied by foreign powers, the negative aspect of the Nun (chaos) became the dominant perception, reflecting the forces of disorder that were set loose in the country.[4]
^The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt.
^The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt.
Further reading
E. A. Wallis Budge, The Gods of the Egyptians: Or, Studies in Egyptian Mythology (1904), vol. 1, 283f.
December 28, 2022
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Naunet redirects here Not to be confused with Nanuet New York Nu Watery One or Nun The Inert One Ancient Egyptian nnw Nanaw Coptic Ⲛⲟⲩⲛ Noun is the personification of the primordial watery abyss which existed at the time of creation and from which the creator sun god Ra arose 1 in ancient Egyptian religion Nu is one of the eight deities of the Ogdoad representing ancient Egyptian primordial Chaos from which the primordial mound arose from Nun can be seen as the first of all the gods and the creator of reality and personification of the cosmos Nun is also considered the god that will destroy existence and return everything to the Nun from whence it came No cult was addressed to Nun NuAn aspect of Heh which personifies the endless waters of chaos Based on the papyrus of Ani and New Kingdom tomb paintings Name in hieroglyphsSymbolWaterConsortNunutNunutNunut and NunName in hieroglyphsConsortNuThe consort of Nun was the goddess Nunut 2 or Naunet Ancient Egyptian nnwt Contents 1 Name 2 Origin myth 2 1 Creation myth 3 History 4 Iconography 5 See also 6 References 7 Further readingName EditThe name on Nu is paralleled with nen inactivity in a play of words in I raised them up from out of the watery mass nu out of inactivity nen The name has also been compared to the Coptic noun abyss deep 3 Origin myth EditThe ancient Egyptians envisaged the oceanic abyss of the Nun as surrounding a bubble in which the sphere of life is encapsulated representing the deepest mystery of their cosmogony 4 In ancient Egyptian creation accounts the original mound of land comes forth from the waters of the Nun 5 The Nun is the source of all that appears in a differentiated world encompassing all aspects of divine and earthly existence In the Ennead cosmogony Nun is perceived as transcendent at the point of creation alongside Atum the creator god 4 Creation myth Edit Main article Ancient Egyptian creation myths The sun rises over the circular mound of creation as goddesses pour out the primeval waters around itSome ancient Egyptian creation myths are different but have some elements in common They all held that the world had arisen out of the lifeless waters of chaos Nu In the beginning the universe only consisted of this great chaotic cosmic ocean and the ocean itself was referred to as Nu At the beginning of time Mehet Weret portrayed as a cow with a sun disk between her horns gives birth to the sun said to have risen from the waters of creation and to have given birth to the sun god Ra in some myths 6 The universe was enrapt by a vast mass of primordial waters and the Benben a pyramid mound emerged amid this primal chaos There was a blue Lotus flower with Benben and this when it blossomed brought Ra citation needed History EditBeginning with the Middle Kingdom Nun is described as the father of the gods and he is depicted on temple walls throughout the rest of ancient Egyptian religious history 4 The Ogdoad includes along with Naunet and Nun Amaunet and Amun Hauhet and Heh and Kauket and Kek Like the other Ogdoad deities Nu did not have temples or any center of worship Even so Nu was sometimes represented by a sacred lake or as at Abydos by an underground stream citation needed Iconography Edit Nun lifts the solar barque with the new born sun from the waters of creation Nun was depicted as an anthropomorphic large figure and a personification of the primordial waters 7 with water ripples filling the body holding a notched palm branch Nun was also depicted in anthropomorphic form but with the head of a frog and he was typically depicted in ancient Egyptian art holding aloft the solar barque or the sun disc He may appear greeting the rising sun in the guise of a baboon Nun is otherwise symbolized by the presence of a sacred cistern or lake as in the sanctuaries of Karnak and Dendara citation needed Nu was shown usually as male but also had aspects that could be represented as female or male Naunet also spelt Nunet is the female aspect which is the name Nu with a female gender ending The male aspect Nun is written with a male gender ending As with the primordial concepts of the Ogdoad Nu s male aspect was depicted as a frog or a frog headed man In Ancient Egyptian art Nun also appears as a bearded man with blue green skin representing water Naunet is represented as a snake or snake headed woman citation needed In the 12th Hour of the Book of Gates Nu is depicted with upraised arms holding a solar bark or barque a boat The boat is occupied by eight deities with the scarab deity Khepri standing in the middle surrounded by the seven other deities citation needed During the Late Period when Egypt was occupied by foreign powers the negative aspect of the Nun chaos became the dominant perception reflecting the forces of disorder that were set loose in the country 4 See also EditAbzu Mesopotamian primeval sea Cosmic ocean Mythological motif Firmament Solid dome created to divide the primal sea Hapi Ancient Egyptian god of the annual flooding of the Nile Sea of Suf Primordial sea in Mandaean cosmology Tehom Primordial waters of creation in the Bible Wadj wer Ancient Egyptian god of fertility Wuji Chinese philosophical term for infinity and the primordial universeReferences Edit The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary page 350 Budge 1904 p 284 a b c d Daniel R McBride 2003 The Oxford Essential Guide to Egyptian Mythology Berkley ISBN 0 425 19096 X David P Silverman 2003 Ancient Egypt Oxford University Press US ISBN 0 19 521952 X p 120 The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt Further reading EditE A Wallis Budge The Gods of the Egyptians Or Studies in Egyptian Mythology 1904 vol 1 283f Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nu mythology amp oldid 1129427204, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
