Summary
Atum was the creator god of Heliopolis, the first being to emerge from the waters of chaos and the father of all the other gods. His name means “the complete one” or “the one who is all”. He is usually shown as a man wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, and he was identified with the setting sun, completing the daily journey that began with Khepri at dawn and Ra at noon.
The God Who Made Himself
In the creation story of Heliopolis, Atum rose by his own will from Nun, the dark primeval ocean, and stood on the first mound of land. He created Shu and Tefnut, air and moisture, from his own body; their children were Geb and Nut, earth and sky, and theirs were Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys. Together these nine form the Ennead, with Atum at its head.
Atum, Ra and the King
Atum was closely joined with the sun god as Atum-Ra or Ra-Atum, the old sun sinking in the west each evening. As the original king of the world he was a model for the pharaoh: kings were said to sit on “the throne of Atum”, and he is often shown on temple walls leading the king into the presence of the gods or crowning him.
Atum could also take animal forms, among them the serpent, the ichneumon (a mongoose) and the lion, and the scarab beetle linked him with Khepri.
The End of the World
One of the most striking passages in the Book of the Dead has Atum foretell the end of time: one day he will destroy all he has made and return the world to the primeval waters, remaining alone with Osiris in the form of a serpent. For the Egyptians, creation was never permanent; it had to be renewed every day by the rising sun and by keeping maat, the order of the world.
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View This TripWhere to See Atum
Atum appears on the walls of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and in temple scenes at Karnak and Medinet Habu, usually as a man in the double crown. His city, Heliopolis, is now buried under north-eastern Cairo. See all the gods in ancient Egyptian gods.
Atum: FAQ
What is Atum the god of?
Creation and the setting sun; he was the first god and the father of the Ennead.
How is Atum shown?
As a man wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, sometimes as a serpent or with a ram’s head as the evening sun.
Is Atum the same as Ra?
They were joined as Atum-Ra: Atum was the sun at evening and the creator, Ra the sun at its height.
Who were Atum’s children?
Shu, god of air, and Tefnut, goddess of moisture.































