In Egyptian mythology, the Primordial Ocean is called Noun or Nouou (Nwn). Nun can be considered more of a concept than a god. It is the Ocean that gave Life and will bring Death; without a creator, it stretches around the world. All creation myths have one thing in common: this Nun, from which the creator god was born.
The Egyptians saw the Nile as a continuation of the Primordial Ocean.
It was in its depths that the first god, Atum, was born, followed by Ra-Amon-Khepri, Thoth, Ptah, Sokar, Khnum, and many other gods. These gods are called Creators and are the deities associated with the Primordial Ocean, born from divine chaos, from the vital concept. The Ocean was therefore also known as the father of the gods.
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Nun was more than just an ocean; it was a vast, immobile expanse of water. Even after the creation of the world, Nun continues to exist and will one day return to destroy it, starting the cycle anew.
After Creation, Nun played a role in the destruction of humanity when humans no longer respected and obeyed Ra in his old age. Ra gathered all the gods and goddesses, including Nun. Nun suggested that Ra send his eye to destroy humanity. And Ra’s eye, in the form of the goddess Sekhmet, traveled through Egypt, killing all mortals.
Nun protected Shu and Tefnut at their birth from the demonic powers of chaos (represented as serpents).
In the cosmogony of Khmun (Ḫmnw) (the City of Eight) or Hermopolis Magna, Nun is deified and becomes part of the creative Ogdoad alongside his consort, Nounet.
Nun is depicted as a bearded man with a blue or green body, symbolizing water and fertility. Sometimes he is also shown with female breasts. In one hand, he holds a palm trunk (stipe), a symbol of longevity, and carries another in his hair. He is also sometimes represented as a deity with a frog’s head.
Cosmogony of the Book of the Gates
The twelfth and final sequence of the Book of the Gates depicts the moment when the Sun emerges from the underworld to be reborn at dawn. This scene is a visual representation of the cosmogonic thought of the New Kingdom Egyptians.
The god Nun seems to emerge from the primordial waters. With both arms, he lifts the solar barque. On board, the scarab Khepri (symbol of rebirth) holds the solar disk. On either side of the scarab, the goddesses Isis and Nephthys appear to either welcome or propel the reborn Sun.
The Sun is received into the arms of Nut, the sky goddess. Depicted upside down, the goddess stands on the head of Osiris, whose body forms a loop (similar to the Ouroboros serpent) that encircles the Duat.
Noun
Although Noun is a world without form, where neither space nor time exist, it is represented here as an anthropomorphic god with a face, torso, and disproportionately long arms. The explanatory note states, “It is from the water that the arms emerge to raise this god.”
Noun is depicted to show the moment of the first act of Creation. Existence first manifests with the emergence of Ra, the Sun god, from the waters of the Ocean of origins. However, only half of Noun’s body is visible, symbolizing the perpetual boundary between the visible and the invisible, between the comprehensible and the incomprehensible.
Noun is also the ocean on which the Sun barque, Ra’s barque, sails. This barque alternately travels in the visible, diurnal world, and then in the invisible, nocturnal world, which symbolizes the soul’s journey in the afterlife after death.
“He carries the solar barque, which itself carries the scarab pushing the solar disk. It is the objective path of life, the path of the advancing Sun. Above, with his head upside down, the god Osiris encircles a part of the Duat to create an inner space, which will become the world of the afterlife.
The Ordered Universe
The solar barque is the central element of the scene. It appears within a horizontal white rectangle that contrasts with the blue waves of Nun’s ocean. This rectangle represents the created and ordered world in which humanity exists, the universe governed by Ra.
The solar barque symbolizes this cosmic order. The journey of the barque maintains the state of the cosmos. It also evokes the Nile, the river that bestows life upon Egypt. The solar disk is accompanied by several gods who are the guarantors of Creation: Shu (the vital breath), Geb (the earth), and Heka (creative magic).
Two oars serve as the rudder of the barque: Hu (divine speech) and Sia (creative thought) are in charge of its navigation. Ra is represented as the solar disk, pushed by the scarab Khepri. This is the becoming Sun, soon to come into existence as it emerges from the nocturnal and subterranean world.
The Duat
Like the Ouroboros serpent that bites its tail, Osiris is curled upon himself. His body forms a circle, and the explanatory note states, “It is Osiris who encircles the Duat.”
This representation of the god demonstrates that time is cyclical. The circle symbolizes perfection and movement. This perpetual return of things and events represents a succession of regenerations.
Osiris and Nut are depicted upside down to show that the Duat is not subject to the same rules as the ordered universe. When the Sun enters the Duat, it can only emerge from it. In the evening, the Sun enters the West. It regenerates during its passage through the Duat, the world of night and death, governed by Osiris.
Then, it is reborn at dawn when it emerges from the eastern horizon. This emergence from the subterranean world is symbolized by the second Sun located at the prow of the solar barque. Nut (the sky) is positioned between the Duat and the ordered universe, forming a link between the two worlds. The explanatory note states, “It is Nut who receives Ra”.
Here’s a FAQ section for your blog post titled “Nun: The Ocean That Gave Birth to Gods and Destroyed Humanity”:
FAQ
1. Who is Nun in Egyptian mythology?
Nun is the primordial ocean god in Egyptian mythology, representing the chaotic, formless waters that existed before creation. He is often depicted as a bearded man with blue or green skin, symbolizing water and fertility. Nun is considered the source of all life and the father of the gods.
2. What is Nun’s role in creation?
Nun is the chaotic, infinite ocean from which the first god, Atum (or Ra), emerged. He is the foundation of all creation, as the gods and the world were born from his waters. Nun is also associated with the cyclical nature of existence, as he will one day return to destroy the world and restart the cycle.
3. How is Nun connected to the Nile River?
The ancient Egyptians saw the Nile River as a continuation of Nun’s primordial waters. Just as Nun was the source of life, the Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt, providing water, fertility, and sustenance to the land.
4. Did Nun play a role in the destruction of humanity?
Yes, according to Egyptian mythology, Nun played a role in the destruction of humanity. When humans rebelled against Ra in his old age, Nun advised Ra to send his eye (the goddess Sekhmet) to punish humanity. Sekhmet nearly wiped out humanity before being tricked into stopping.
5. How is Nun depicted in Egyptian art?
Nun is often depicted as a man with blue or green skin, symbolizing water. He sometimes has female breasts to represent fertility and is shown holding a palm trunk, a symbol of longevity. In some depictions, he has a frog’s head, linking him to creation and rebirth.
6. What is Nun’s relationship with other gods?
Nun is considered the father of the gods, as he is the source from which the first gods, including Atum, Ra, and others, emerged. He is also part of the Ogdoad (a group of eight primordial deities) in the Hermopolis creation myth, where he is paired with his consort, Naunet.
7. What is the significance of Nun lifting the solar barque?
In Egyptian cosmology, Nun is often shown lifting the solar barque, which carries the sun god Ra. This symbolizes his role in the daily rebirth of the sun and the cyclical nature of time. The solar barque travels through the visible world during the day and the underworld at night, guided by Nun’s waters.
8. How does Nun relate to chaos and order?
Nun represents the chaotic, formless waters that existed before creation. However, he is also the source of order, as the gods and the world emerged from his waters. Nun embodies the balance between chaos and order, creation and destruction.
9. What is the connection between Nun and the afterlife?
Nun’s waters are associated with the Duat (the Egyptian underworld). The solar barque, carrying Ra, travels through Nun’s waters at night, symbolizing the journey of the soul through the afterlife. Nun’s role in this journey highlights his connection to rebirth and regeneration.
10. Is Nun worshipped as a god?
Nun was not worshipped in the same way as other Egyptian gods like Ra or Osiris. Instead, he was revered as a concept—the primordial ocean that underpinned all existence. However, he was often invoked in creation myths and funerary texts.
11. What is the Ogdoad, and how is Nun part of it?
The Ogdoad is a group of eight primordial deities worshipped in Hermopolis. Nun is part of this group, representing the male aspect of the primordial waters, while his consort, Naunet, represents the female aspect. Together, they symbolize the chaotic waters from which creation emerged.
12. How does Nun symbolize the cycle of life and death?
Nun represents both the beginning and the end. He is the source of creation, but he will also one day return to destroy the world, restarting the cycle. This duality makes him a symbol of eternal renewal and the interconnectedness of life and death.
13. What is the significance of Nun’s long arms in depictions?
Nun is sometimes depicted with disproportionately long arms, symbolizing his ability to reach across the cosmos and lift the solar barque. This imagery emphasizes his role as a sustainer of life and a guide for the sun god Ra.
14. How does Nun compare to other primordial deities in world mythology?
Nun shares similarities with other primordial deities, such as Tiamat in Mesopotamian mythology or Chaos in Greek mythology. Like these deities, Nun represents the formless, chaotic waters that existed before creation and from which the world emerged.
15. Why is Nun important in Egyptian cosmology?
Nun is essential because he represents the foundation of existence. Without Nun, there would be no creation, no gods, and no world. His waters are the source of life, and his cyclical nature reflects the Egyptian understanding of time and the universe.
