Nut - The Sky Goddess

Nut - The Sky Goddess

Travel pictures from Egypt

by Günther Eichhorn

Nut is the Sky Goddess (see Mythology). She is the daughter of Shu and Tephnut, wife of Geb, and mother of Isis, Osiris, Seth, and Nephtys. In the beginning, she lay eternally having sex with Geb. Shu later separated them by lifting her up into the heaven. It is said that if she ever returned to that position, chaos would reign. She is often shown as a dark, naked woman, arched over the earth with her hands and feet touching the earth, and her back in the sky, often decorated with stars. She is also shown as a woman with her symbol, a vessel or vase, on top of the Sun disk on her head.

Relief of Nut in her characteristic pose with hand and feet touching the earth, and her body arching in the sky, in the Temple of Horus in Edfu. (411k) Relief of Nut (left) with her brother/husband Geb, wearing the Pshent (center, holding the Was scepter), and a Pharaoh (right), in the Temple of Kom Ombo. (618k) Colored relief of Nut (center), with Isis (left), and Nut's brother/husband Geb (right) in the Temple of Kom Ombo. In the upper tier is the God Horus with a lion's body (upper tier). (443k) Colored relief of Nut (bottom left) with her brother/husband Geb (lower right), Horus with a lion's body (upper left), and Renenutet as a winged Cobra with the Deshret or Red Crown (upper right), in the Temple of Kom Ombo. (451k) Ceiling painting in the tomb of Ramesses VI in the Valley of the Kings, showing the front part of the painting of Nut, arched over the earth. (605k)

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