Shu
- WORDSWORTH WORDSMITHY
- Mar 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was the god 𓊹 of the air and atmosphere but was also associated with sunlight 𓆄𓅱𓇶! In the Egyptian creation myth, Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 raised the atmosphere from the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, separating the two 𓏻 from each other!
Shu 𓇋𓅱 is usually depicted as a man standing or kneeling with both of his arms raised (like this hieroglyphic symbol – 𓁏). His arms are in this position to show that he is holding up the air/atmosphere above the ground! Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was often worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 by sailors, who were looking for favorable winds 𓇋𓇬𓈖𓅱𓊡𓏦!
Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was the consort of Tefnut 𓏏𓆑𓈖𓏏𓆗, who is a goddess 𓊹𓏏 associated with moisture. In some mythology, Shu 𓇋𓅱 and Tefnut 𓏏𓆑𓈖𓏏𓆗 produced Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭 (god 𓊹 of the Earth 𓇾𓇾) and Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭 (goddess 𓊹𓏏 of the sky 𓏌𓏏𓇯). In the Pyramid Texts, the clouds are even mentioned as “the bones of Shu.”
The name 𓂋𓈖 “Shu 𓆄𓅱” can actually mean “He Who Rises Up,” “Emptiness 𓆄𓅱𓅨,” or “Sunlight 𓆄𓅱𓇶/𓆄𓅱𓇳” too! In Middle Egyptian, these words were also pronounced like “Shu,” except they have different determinatives which changes the meaning of the word!
I’m fascinated by the fact that both “empty 𓆄𓅱𓅨” and “Shu 𓆄𓅱” are the same because we can’t see the atmosphere so what is above/all around us appears to be empty 𓆄𓅱𓅨 but it’s not – and the ancient Egyptians knew that! It’s incredible the insight that mythology can give us into the thoughts of the ancient Egyptians!
This faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 piece is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (332–30 B.C.E.).
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.
