Creation MythsCreation Myths

Common ElementsCommon Elements

Feminine Process – birth of the Feminine Process – birth of the cosmoscosmos

Starts with Water or an egg, which Starts with Water or an egg, which are feminine elementsare feminine elements

Egyptian CreationEgyptian CreationFrom HeliopolisFrom Heliopolis

Khepri - Primordial BeingKhepri - Primordial Being

Causes Primal Mound to Rise out of Causes Primal Mound to Rise out of Primeval WatersPrimeval Waters

Takes the shape of Re at the top of the Takes the shape of Re at the top of the MoundMound

KhepriKhepri

Shu - god, Shu - god, Atmosphere and Atmosphere and MoistureMoisture

Geb - Father EarthGeb - Father Earth

Tefnut - goddess, Tefnut - goddess, World OrderWorld Order

Nut - Mother SkyNut - Mother Sky

Geb - NutGeb - Nut

Osiris - First King of Osiris - First King of Egypt, fertility, later - Egypt, fertility, later - underworldunderworld

IsisIsis - Mother - Mother GoddessGoddess

Horus - Divine ChildHorus - Divine Child

Seth - god of the Seth - god of the Desert, ChaosDesert, Chaos

Nephthys - Goddess Nephthys - Goddess of Dusk and Deathof Dusk and Death

– Anubis - God of Anubis - God of Mummification, Mummification, protectionprotection

Khepri, Ra, Shu TefnutKhepri, Ra, Shu Tefnut

Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Seth, NephthysGeb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Seth, Nephthys

MesopotamiaMesopotamiaThe Enuma ElishThe Enuma Elish

In the beginning, there was Watery ChaosIn the beginning, there was Watery Chaos

Personified as DragonsPersonified as Dragons– Apsu - God of Sweet WatersApsu - God of Sweet Waters– Tiamat - Goddess of Bitter (Salt) WatersTiamat - Goddess of Bitter (Salt) Waters– Mummu - their Vizier (Prime Minister)Mummu - their Vizier (Prime Minister)

Apsu and TiamatApsu and Tiamat

Apsu - TiamatApsu - Tiamat

AnAn

EnlilEnlil

Many more godsMany more gods

EaEaMardukMarduk

AnsharAnshar

NinlilNinlil

Many more goddessesMany more goddesses

DamkinaDamkina

Ea and MardukEa and Marduk

Battle amongst the godsBattle amongst the gods

Apsu, angered by the noise of so many Apsu, angered by the noise of so many gods, decides to kill themgods, decides to kill them

Apsu attacks the gods against Tiamat’s Apsu attacks the gods against Tiamat’s wisheswishes

Ea kills Apsu and makes a House out of Ea kills Apsu and makes a House out of his body. He becomes the new King of his body. He becomes the new King of the Godsthe Gods

Ea and Damkina have MardukEa and Damkina have Marduk

The Anger of TiamatThe Anger of Tiamat

Tiamat, angry at the death of Apsu, takesTiamat, angry at the death of Apsu, takes

a 2a 2ndnd husband, Kingu. Together they husband, Kingu. Together they

create a race of monsters to harass thecreate a race of monsters to harass the

gods and cause them grief.gods and cause them grief.

None of the gods is able to defeat her.None of the gods is able to defeat her.

Marduk and Tiamat battleMarduk and Tiamat battle

Marduk kills Tiamat. He splits her body into two Marduk kills Tiamat. He splits her body into two

parts to make the earth and the sky. Marduk parts to make the earth and the sky. Marduk

becomes King of the Gods. He assigns jobs to becomes King of the Gods. He assigns jobs to

the gods and goddesses. They have to tend thethe gods and goddesses. They have to tend the

Earth. The gods complain.Earth. The gods complain.

Marduk orders a race of servants, humans, toMarduk orders a race of servants, humans, to

be created from the blood of Kingu to tend the be created from the blood of Kingu to tend the

earth.earth.

India: the UpanishadIndia: the UpanishadPurusa = human form of Brahman. SplitsPurusa = human form of Brahman. Splits

into male and female halves, they mate,into male and female halves, they mate,

create humanscreate humans

The creation of animalsThe creation of animals

The female half is uncomfortableThe female half is uncomfortable

and turns into a cow to hide. Theand turns into a cow to hide. The

male half turns into a Bull. Theymale half turns into a Bull. They

mate = all bovines are created.mate = all bovines are created.

She turns into a mare, he turns intoShe turns into a mare, he turns into

a stallion, all horses are created.a stallion, all horses are created.

She turns into an ewe, he turns intoShe turns into an ewe, he turns into

a ram, all sheep are created. Anda ram, all sheep are created. And

so it continued all the way down toso it continued all the way down to

ants.ants.

All things are BrahmanAll things are Brahman

When Purusa wasWhen Purusa was

done creating, hedone creating, he

looked at everythinglooked at everything

and said, “All of thisand said, “All of this

am I.”am I.”

Greek Creation based on Hesiod’s Greek Creation based on Hesiod’s TheogonyTheogony (the birth of the Gods) (the birth of the Gods)

3 C yc lop es 3 H eca ton ch ires 1 2 T itan sY ou n g es t T itan is C ron u s

K ron os

G a ia+

O u ran os

In the beginning there was a Void, from In the beginning there was a Void, from the Void came Gaia and black Night…the Void came Gaia and black Night…

Gaia, Mother Earth,Gaia, Mother Earth,

creates offspring bycreates offspring by

herselfherself

The mountainsThe mountains

The SeasThe Seas

The Heavens = The Heavens = Ouranos (Uranus in Ouranos (Uranus in Latin)Latin)