fbpx
Wikipedia

Ogdoad (Egyptian)

January 01, 1970

This article is about the deities in Egyptian mythology. For the concept in Gnosticism, see Ogdoad (Gnosticism).

In Egyptian mythology, the Ogdoad (Ancient Greek: ὀγδοάς "the Eightfold"; Ancient Egyptian: ḫmnyw, a plural nisba of ḫmnw "eight") were eight primordial deities worshiped in Hermopolis.

A depiction of the Ogdoad from a Roman era relief at the Hathor temple in Dendera in which some have frog heads and others have serpent heads
The Ogdoad with both their male and female consorts
Drawing of a representation of the Ogdoad in the temple of Philae[1]

The earliest certain reference to the Ogdoad is from the Eighteenth Dynasty, in a dedicatory inscription by Hatshepsut at the Speos Artemidos.[2]

Texts of the Late Period describe them as having the heads of frogs (male) and serpents (female), and they are often depicted in this way in reliefs of the last dynasty, the Ptolemaic Kingdom.[3]

Names edit

The eight deities were arranged in four male–female pairs. The names have the same meanings and differ only by their endings.[4]

Attributes edit

The names of Nu and Naunet are written with the determiners for sky and water, and it seems clear that they represent the primordial waters.

Ḥeḥu and Ḥeḥut have no readily identifiable determiners; according to a suggestion due to Brugsch (1885), the names are associated with a term for an undefined or unlimited number, ḥeḥ, suggesting a concept similar to the Greek aion. From the context of a number of passages in which Ḥeḥu is mentioned, however, Brugsch also suggested that the names may be a personification of the atmosphere between heaven and earth (c.f. Shu).

The names of Kekui and Kekuit are written with a determiner combining the sky hieroglyph with a staff or scepter used for words related to darkness and obscurity, and kkw as a regular word means "darkness", suggesting that these gods represent primordial darkness, comparable to the Greek Erebus, but in some aspects they appear to represent day as well as night, or the change from night to day and from day to night.

The fourth pair has no consistent attributes as it appears with varying names; sometimes the name Qerḥ is replaced by Ni, Nenu, Nu, or Amun, and the name Qerḥet by Ennit, Nenuit, Nunu, Nit, or Amunet. The common meaning of qerḥ is "night", but the determinative (D41 for "to halt, stop, deny") also suggests the principle of inactivity or repose.[5]

There is no obvious way to allot or attribute four functions to the four pairs of deities, and it seems clear that "the ancient Egyptians themselves had no very clear idea" regarding such functions.[6] Nevertheless, there have been attempts to assign "four ontological concepts"[7] to the four pairs.

For example, in the context of the New Kingdom, Karenga (2004) uses "fluidity" (for "flood, waters"), "darkness", "unboundedness", and "invisibility" (or "repose, inactivity").[8]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Drawn by Faucher-Gudin from a photograph by Béato. C.f. Lepsius, Denkm, iv.pl.66 c.", published in Maspero (1897). The scene is collapsed from "the two extremities of a great scene at Philae, in which the Eight, divided into two groups of four, take part in the adoration of the king."
  2. ^ Zivie-Koch, Christiane (2016). "L'Ogdoad d'Hermopolis à Thebes et ailleurs ou l'invention d'un mythe". Egitto e Vicino Oriente. 39: 57–90.
  3. ^ Smith, Mark (2002), On the Primaeval Ocean, p. 38
  4. ^ Budge 1904, p. 283.
  5. ^ Budge 1904, pp. 283–286.
  6. ^ Budge 1904, pp. 287–288.
  7. ^ Harco Willems (1996) - The Coffin of Heqata: (Cairo JdE 36418) : a Case Study of Egyptian Funerary Culture of the Early Middle Kingdom - p.470f Peeters Publishers, 1996.
  8. ^ Maulana Karenga (2004) - Maat, the Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt: A Study in Classical African Ethics - p.177 Psychology Press, 2004 ISBN 0415947537 - Volume 70 of Orientalia Lovaniensia analecta.

Bibliography edit

  • Baines, John D.; Shafer, Byron Esely; Silverman, David P.; Lesko, Leonard H. (1991), Religion in Ancient Egypt: Gods, Myths, and Personal Practice, Cornell University Press
  • Budge, E.A. (1904), The Gods of the Egyptians: Or, Studies in Egyptian Mythology, vol. 1
  • Dunand, Françoise; Zivie-Coche, Christiane (2004), Gods and Men in Egypt: 3.000 BCE to 395 CE, Cornell University Press
  • Hart, George (2005), The Routledge Dictionary Of Egyptian Gods And Goddesses, Routledge, p. 113
  • Zivie-Koch, Christiane (2016), "L'Ogdoad d'Hermopolis à Thebes et ailleurs ou l'invention d'un mythe", Egitto e Vicino Oriente, 39: 57–90
  • Salmon, George (1887), "Ogdoad", in Smith, William; Wace, Henry (eds.), A Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature, Sects and Doctrines, vol. IV, London: John Murray

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ogdoad.
  • Butler, Edward P. (19 March 2009). "Hermopolitan Ogdoad". Retrieved 2010-08-21.

January 01, 1970
ogdoad, egyptian, this, article, about, deities, egyptian, mythology, concept, gnosticism, ogdoad, gnosticism, egyptian, mythology, ogdoad, ancient, greek, ὀγδοάς, eightfold, ancient, egyptian, ḫmnyw, plural, nisba, ḫmnw, eight, were, eight, primordial, deitie. This article is about the deities in Egyptian mythology For the concept in Gnosticism see Ogdoad Gnosticism In Egyptian mythology the Ogdoad Ancient Greek ὀgdoas the Eightfold Ancient Egyptian ḫmnyw a plural nisba of ḫmnw eight were eight primordial deities worshiped in Hermopolis A depiction of the Ogdoad from a Roman era relief at the Hathor temple in Dendera in which some have frog heads and others have serpent heads The Ogdoad with both their male and female consorts Drawing of a representation of the Ogdoad in the temple of Philae 1 The earliest certain reference to the Ogdoad is from the Eighteenth Dynasty in a dedicatory inscription by Hatshepsut at the Speos Artemidos 2 Texts of the Late Period describe them as having the heads of frogs male and serpents female and they are often depicted in this way in reliefs of the last dynasty the Ptolemaic Kingdom 3 Contents 1 Names 2 Attributes 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Bibliography 5 External linksNames editThe eight deities were arranged in four male female pairs The names have the same meanings and differ only by their endings 4 Nu Naunet Ḥeḥu Ḥeḥut Kekui Kekuit Qerḥ QerḥetAttributes editThe names of Nu and Naunet are written with the determiners for sky and water and it seems clear that they represent the primordial waters Ḥeḥu and Ḥeḥut have no readily identifiable determiners according to a suggestion due to Brugsch 1885 the names are associated with a term for an undefined or unlimited number ḥeḥ suggesting a concept similar to the Greek aion From the context of a number of passages in which Ḥeḥu is mentioned however Brugsch also suggested that the names may be a personification of the atmosphere between heaven and earth c f Shu The names of Kekui and Kekuit are written with a determiner combining the sky hieroglyph with a staff or scepter used for words related to darkness and obscurity and kkw as a regular word means darkness suggesting that these gods represent primordial darkness comparable to the Greek Erebus but in some aspects they appear to represent day as well as night or the change from night to day and from day to night The fourth pair has no consistent attributes as it appears with varying names sometimes the name Qerḥ is replaced by Ni Nenu Nu or Amun and the name Qerḥet by Ennit Nenuit Nunu Nit or Amunet The common meaning of qerḥ is night but the determinative D41 for to halt stop deny also suggests the principle of inactivity or repose 5 There is no obvious way to allot or attribute four functions to the four pairs of deities and it seems clear that the ancient Egyptians themselves had no very clear idea regarding such functions 6 Nevertheless there have been attempts to assign four ontological concepts 7 to the four pairs For example in the context of the New Kingdom Karenga 2004 uses fluidity for flood waters darkness unboundedness and invisibility or repose inactivity 8 See also editEnneadReferences edit Drawn by Faucher Gudin from a photograph by Beato C f Lepsius Denkm iv pl 66 c published in Maspero 1897 The scene is collapsed from the two extremities of a great scene at Philae in which the Eight divided into two groups of four take part in the adoration of the king Zivie Koch Christiane 2016 L Ogdoad d Hermopolis a Thebes et ailleurs ou l invention d un mythe Egitto e Vicino Oriente 39 57 90 Smith Mark 2002 On the Primaeval Ocean p 38 Budge 1904 p 283 Budge 1904 pp 283 286 Budge 1904 pp 287 288 Harco Willems 1996 The Coffin of Heqata Cairo JdE 36418 a Case Study of Egyptian Funerary Culture of the Early Middle Kingdom p 470f Peeters Publishers 1996 Maulana Karenga 2004 Maat the Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt A Study in Classical African Ethics p 177 Psychology Press 2004 ISBN 0415947537 Volume 70 of Orientalia Lovaniensia analecta Bibliography edit Baines John D Shafer Byron Esely Silverman David P Lesko Leonard H 1991 Religion in Ancient Egypt Gods Myths and Personal Practice Cornell University Press Budge E A 1904 The Gods of the Egyptians Or Studies in Egyptian Mythology vol 1 Dunand Francoise Zivie Coche Christiane 2004 Gods and Men in Egypt 3 000 BCE to 395 CE Cornell University Press Hart George 2005 The Routledge Dictionary Of Egyptian Gods And Goddesses Routledge p 113 Zivie Koch Christiane 2016 L Ogdoad d Hermopolis a Thebes et ailleurs ou l invention d un mythe Egitto e Vicino Oriente 39 57 90 Salmon George 1887 Ogdoad in Smith William Wace Henry eds A Dictionary of Christian Biography Literature Sects and Doctrines vol IV London John MurrayExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ogdoad Butler Edward P 19 March 2009 Hermopolitan Ogdoad Retrieved 2010 08 21 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ogdoad Egyptian amp oldid 1190956561, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.