Several years ago, the British Museum hosted an intriguing exhibition titled “Living with Gods,” centered on the notion that religion profoundly influences human existence. This concept has long fascinated me: if the essence of humanity includes religion, what function does it serve? One fundamental aspect of religion is its role in interpreting and understanding the intricate world we inhabit, offering narratives to navigate life’s challenges. Although in contemporary times our grasp of the universe is heavily informed by science, reducing the roles of deities and myths, the ancient Egyptians integrated these divine elements deeply into their worldview. Their pantheon personified essential natural forces to provide clarity and context for their existence.
Among these deities is Shu, the Egyptian god of air and sunlight, specifically the dry air, with his sister Tefnut embodying moisture. This distinction is particularly relevant given Egypt’s arid environment, contrasting with the climatic conditions of Britain. Shu’s manifestation in the world is expressed through the wind, emphasizing his role as the atmosphere itself. Unlike the Greek gods who dominate specific natural forces, Egyptian gods represent those forces intrinsically. The Coffin Texts capture this nature of Shu, stating, “I am Shu… my clothing is the air… my skin is the pressure of the wind,” highlighting how Egyptians experienced the wind as a caress from Shu himself.
Shu is typically depicted as a man adorned with a feathered headdress, often a single ostrich feather, which serves both as his insignia in iconography and as a hieroglyph representing his name. Linguistically, his name may translate to “he who rises up” or “emptiness” and may be connected to the verb that means “to be empty.” Also portrayed as a lion in certain contexts, there exists an exquisite shrine dating from the 30th Dynasty, designed to house a lion statue of Shu, adorned with silver and gold.
Shu’s significance extends to the Egyptian perception of eternal time, characterized by the cycles they termed neheh, contrasting with djet, which signifies stationary time, such as that which embodies mummies and monuments. His association is particularly evident in the cyclical themes of birth, death, and the cyclical reigns of kings, reflecting the belief that his essence fills the universe with breath and vitality.
Interestingly, there wasn’t a significant cult devoted to Shu prior to the New Kingdom, although he was acknowledged in earlier texts such as the Pyramid and Coffin Texts, indicating his enduring place in Egyptian spiritual thought. Rituals mentioned in the Pyramid Texts allude to purification within Shu’s lakes and ascension to the heavens via Shu’s bones. The Coffin Texts further encapsulate his relevance through a series of six spells known somewhat anachronistically as the Litany of Shu, which invoke his ability to bestow life upon the deceased and elaborate on his origins.
Shu’s prominence increased during the New Kingdom, likely owing to the enhanced significance of sunlight in Egyptian religion, notably through the reforms under Akhenaten. His associations with solar elements were preserved even through major ideological shifts, allowing him to be integrated into Atenism. Remarkably, Shu early on appeared in the titles of the Aten itself, bridging the gap between traditional worship and the sun deity.
As a deity, Shu embodies the renewal of the cosmos and the nourishment of life, engaging with the people on a personal level as well. In later periods, he became a figure of healing and protection, often invoked in various prayers and rituals against malevolent forces. Throughout the Late Period and into the Ptolemaic Time, texts referencing Shu still circulated, indicating his continued veneration, alongside scarce 3D representations of him, such as amulets.
Shu is a key figure in the Heliopolitan Ennead, a collective of nine deities involved in the Heliopolitan creation myth that emphasizes the sun’s centrality. This myth narrates the emergence of the first land from primordial waters, establishing a foundational narrative for the Egyptians. The first god, Atum, brought forth Shu and Tefnut through acts of creation characterized by either copulation or emanation. The peculiar etymology of Shu’s name resonates with the concept of sneezing, intertwining language and mythology beautifully.
While straightforward in articulation, the creation narrative reveals deeper complexities. In a pivotal spell, Atum converses with Nun (the chaotic waters) about the intrinsic connection between him and his attributes, indicating that Shu’s existence—as well as that of Tefnut—was a necessary element rather than a mere spontaneous creation. Recognized as vital to Atum’s consciousness, Shu empowers creation as the tangible breath within him, creating the means for Atum to self-generate the cosmos.
After their separation, Shu and Tefnut go on to create Geb (earth) and Nut (sky). Their narrative encompasses themes of familial conflict and affection, where Geb reacts against Shu’s separation of him from Nut, leading to various interpretations of Shu’s motives. His iconic representation often features the scene of Shu parting Geb from Nut, conveying a visual representation of the Egyptian cosmos: earth beneath and sky above, unified through air. This cosmic relationship also gives rise to the cyclical patterns of day and night as the sun rises and sets.
Another well-known narrative associated with Shu involves a winter solstice myth, where a solar-goddess departs southward, and a male deity, often Shu, persuades her to return. This mirrors the positional changes of the sun in relation to seasonal aspects.
Shu, while fundamentally an air deity, intertwines with several solar figures due to his diverse associations. Although nominally not a direct solar deity, he is often depicted alongside Re, aiding the sun during its nightly journey through the underworld and combating adversarial forces like Apophis. As mythologies evolved, the definitions and roles associated with these deities became intertwined, with Shu and Tefnut sometimes appearing in forms representing the Eye of Re, though distinctly, Shu retains a unique identity.
Additionally, Shu’s narrative contributes to the broader wisdom concerning kingship in Ancient Egypt. The Heliopolitan creation myth graphically features the establishment of the divine order from one god to another, creating a lineage that extends from Atum and Re to Horus, eventually culminating in human kings who continued the divine lineage. This divine succession occasionally involved complicated familial relationships, including incest, to maintain the claimed divine connection to the gods.
In mythological discussions concerning governance, Shu embodies the ideal of a righteous king, responsible for prosperity and maintaining order. However, tension arises through Geb’s rebellious spirit, leading to an eventual transition of power, either through the natural aging of Shu or an explicit rebellion from Geb, reflecting an underlying discourse on the parameters of strength and fitness for rule.
Overall, Shu transcends a mere symbolic role as a deity of air and sunlight, embodying the principles of life and connection to natural cycles. Furthermore, his relationships with other gods and his deep-seated roots in Egyptian culture illustrate not only the Egyptians’ views of the cosmos but also their understanding of existence itself, celebrating the “and” — the coexistence of varied interpretations and identities in their mythology.
