Ancient Egyptian Religion · primordial

Nun (the primordial waters)

Nun / Nu
also: Nu
primordialthe primordial waterschaos (the pre-creation state)

The primordial waters from which creation emerged — the infinite, dark water that existed before the world.

NU
The account

Who they are

Nun is the body of primordial waters that existed before creation. From Nun the first god rose (as Atum on the benben mound in Heliopolis) [S1]S1 · Pyramid Textsc. 2400–2300 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic. Nun is not exactly 'evil' — it is the undifferentiated pre-creation state — but it is also the state the world returns toward: the sun god must battle the serpent Apep (who represents the chaotic waters) every night in the Duat [S2]S2 · Book of the Dead (e.g., Papyrus of Ani)c. 1250 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic. The priests of the temple performed the 'Opening of the Mouth' and other rites to keep the ordered world (Ma'at) separate from Nun [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
Worth knowing
  • The primordial waters of pre-creation [S1]S1 · Pyramid Textsc. 2400–2300 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
  • Apep, the chaos serpent, embodies the threat of Nun returning [S2]S2 · Book of the Dead (e.g., Papyrus of Ani)c. 1250 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
Uncertainties & variants
  • Nun's 'gender' is often given as male (Nun) with a female counterpart (Naunet); the sources treat the waters as a pair [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
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Their corner of the divine world

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EGYPTIAN · 25variant♥♥♥♥Heka (the Crook…AnkhPschent (the Do…Amundeitythe hidden one1 relationsAnubisdeitythe mummification2 relationsApep (Apophis)monsterchaos2 relationsAtum-Ra (the primor…primordialcreation2 relationsBastetdeitythe home0 relationsHathordeitylove2 relationsHorus the Elder (Ha…deitythe elder sky-falcon1 relationsNun (the primordial…primordialthe primordial waters0 relationsHeh & Hehet (primor…primordialprimordial infinity (Hermopolitan account)1 relationsKhenunu & Khenunit …primordialprimordial mystery (Hermopolitan account)1 relationsNun & Naunet (prime…primordialthe primeval waters (Hermopolitan account)3 relationsSat & Satet (primor…primordialprimordial duration (Hermopolitan account)1 relationsPtahdeitycreation0 relationsRadeitythe sun6 relationsSekhmetdeitywar2 relationsShudeitythe air6 relationsTefnutdeitymoisture5 relationsThothdeitywisdom1 relationsGebdeitythe earth8 relationsNutdeitythe sky10 relationsIsisdeitymagic8 relationsNephthysdeitythe dead4 relationsOsirisdeitythe dead10 relationsSet (Seth)deitythe desert8 relationsHorusdeitythe sky9 relations
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Myths featuring Nun (the primordial waters)

2 stories

The Heliopolitan Creation (Atum-Ra)

In the Heliopolitan tradition, the self-created god Atum-Ra rose from the primordial waters (Nun) — sometimes on a mound of earth (the benben). From his own body he created Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture), the first divine pair. Their children were Geb (earth) and Nut (sky). This is the genealogy behind the Osiris cycle [S1]S1 · Pyramid Textsc. 2400–2300 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.

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Ra's Journey Through the Duat (the Night)

Each night, the sun god Ra enters the Duat (the underworld) in his 'Night Barque' and travels through the twelve hours of the night. At the hour of greatest danger (around midnight), the chaos serpent Apep strikes; Thoth and other gods help Ra defeat Apep. Ra rises again at dawn [S2]S2 · Book of the Dead (e.g., Papyrus of Ani)c. 1250 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic. The justified dead 'sail with Ra' through the night [S2]S2 · Book of the Dead (e.g., Papyrus of Ani)c. 1250 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.

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