Volume III Gods/Goddesses of Ancient Egypt

From The Alpha and the Omega - Volume III
by Jim A. Cornwell, Copyright © July 20, 2002, all rights reserved "Volume III - Gods/Goddesses of Ancient Egypt"

ATUM
(Tum, Tem)

To return to the
Ophiuchus Decan (Atum similar to Ophiuchus),
Serpens Decan (Atum similar to Ophiuchus/Nehebkau),
Heka (Atum's consort),
Nebethetepet (is sometimes linked to Atum),
Nefertum (the young Tem an aspect of Atem),
Denderah Serpent Crypts (associated with Atum-Ra),
or List of Netjeru.

    Atum in the Old Kingdom was in the Underworld, as the Creator god of the Ennead of Heliopolis (On), who rose out of the Primeval Waters (the Nun) to form the Primeval Mound, the first piece of land which emerged when the water withdrew.
    His epiteths were: "Lord to the limit of the sky," "He Who came into being of Himself," the "Lord of All" and "Lord of Iuna (Gr. Heliopolis)."    He self-developed into a being standing on a raised mound, which became the Benben (Mansion of the Phoenix), a pyramid shaped stone, regarded as the dwelling place of the sun god.    The Phoenix is the Egyptian Benu a legendary bird that symbolizes rebirth, first known in the Pyramid Text as the yellow wagtail, but later as the heron with two long feathers at the back of his head, which descended on the "ben-ben stone at Heliopolis (Iunu) symbolizing the Primeval Mound which first became visible as the Primeval Waters began to withdraw.    The name Benu is thought to come from the Egyptian verb "wbn" which means "to rise in brillance."
    Atum (see Ophiuchus) is depicted in anthromorphic form (scarab, bull (sacred) or a lion, ichneumon, lizard, serpent), seated or standing, and wears the Double Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt (the Nemes), and often leans on his staff.    He also carries the symbols of life, like the crux ansata.    When shown as aged, he denotes the setting sun, and becomes Re-Atum.
    Atum embraces the idea of "Totality" and produced Shu and Tefnut.    He is therefore the creator god who created the universe, he is the supreme being and master of the forces and elements of the unverse, as can be seen in Utterance 600 in the Pyramid Texts.
    As Creator of all things and beings, and protects the deceased from all dangers and evil forces in the Underworld.    He defeats the snake-god Neheb-Khau (i.e. Khu, Serpens), while in the form of a male cat, by pressing his fingernails on its spine, and annihilates the Apep serpent.
    Also see notes in Ptah.

This file was created on June 18, 2005, and updated on September 19, 2007.

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