Chaos (mythology) facts for kids

Chaos was a very old idea from Classical mythology. It described the "nothingness" that existed before the world was created. Imagine a time when there was no sky, no land, and no living things – that was Chaos! It was the first state of the universe.

Later, the meaning of "chaos" changed. Today, we often use it to mean "disorder" or "randomness." This is the opposite of things being neat and organized.

Chaos in Greek Mythology

In ancient Greek mythology, Chaos was sometimes seen as a god. This god filled the huge space between Heaven and Earth. From this vast emptiness, the very first beings were born. These were the first gods and parts of the world itself.

The First Beings from Chaos

After Chaos, these important beings appeared:

• Gaia, who was the Earth
• Tartarus, the deep Underworld
• Uranus, the Sky
• Nyx, the Night
• Erebos, the Darkness of the Underworld

These first beings helped to shape the world as we know it in Greek myths. They were the start of everything.

Images for kids

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  Chaos by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607–1677).

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  Magnum Chaos, a wood-inlay by Giovan Francesco Capoferri at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo. It is based on a design by Lorenzo Lotto.

See also

In Spanish: Caos (mitología) para niños