Nut (goddess) Facts for Kids

The sky goddess Nut as a cow

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Nut was the powerful goddess of the sky. Her body was believed to form a protective layer over the Earth. Nut was the sister and wife of Geb, who was the god of the Earth.

She was also the mother of several important gods: Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys. The ancient Egyptians believed that Nut swallowed the sun-god, Ra, every night. Then, she would give birth to him again every morning, bringing the new day.

Who Was Nut?
How Nut Looked
Nut's Personality
Nut's Family and the Calendar
Worship of Nut
Images for kids
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Who Was Nut?

Nut was known as the goddess of the sky, but she had many other important roles too. She was sometimes called Nuit, Newet, or Nueth. People thought of Nut as the mother of all gods. This was because she "swallowed" the sun god Ra each night and "gave birth" to him again at dawn.

She was also seen as the mother of all heavenly bodies, like the stars. Egyptians believed that her laughter created thunder and her tears became rain. Nut often carried the sun across the sky. She was also important in funeral beliefs and was sometimes drawn on the tops of coffins. Nut was one of the nine main gods of ancient Egypt. She was the personification of the sky and heavens. Egyptians called her "the mother of the sky."

How Nut Looked

As the sky goddess, Nut was usually shown arching over Geb, the earth god. Her fingertips would be near his head, and her toes would be by his feet. She was often pictured with dark blue skin and no clothes. However, some Egyptians believed she wore a rainbow-colored robe covered in stars.

Large paintings of Nut were often found on the ceilings of tomb chambers. She could be seen with small vulture wings or a vase on her head. When she carried the sun across the sky, she was often shown as a cow. The cow was a symbol of motherhood and care in ancient Egypt.

Nut's Personality

Nut was seen as a very beautiful and kind goddess. She was loving and caring. She fell in love with Thoth, the god of knowledge, and Geb, the god of the Earth. Nut was a strong and independent goddess. She was a motherly figure who did what she wanted. When she was angry, she never let anyone stop her.

Nut's Family and the Calendar

Nut had a very close relationship with Geb, her twin brother. She also had a special bond with Thoth, the god of scribes and wisdom. Nut was the goddess of the Sky, and Geb was the god of the Earth. In the morning, they were separated, but at night, they came together, which created darkness.

The ancient Egyptians used this story to explain their 365-day calendar. Nut loved Geb, but Ra was not happy about their love. Ra told Nut that she could not have any children on any of the 360 days of the year. This made Nut very sad.

So, she went to Thoth for help. Thoth challenged Khonsu, the moon god, to a game of Senet. Thoth won the game, and as his prize, he was able to add five more days to the year. These extra days were added to the end of the 360-day year.

On these five new days, Nut and Geb had five children:

On the first day, Osiris was born.
On the second day, Horus was born.
On the third day, Seth was born.
On the fourth day, Isis was born.
On the fifth day, Nephthys was born.

These extra days were sometimes called the "Demon Days."

The ancient Egyptians had three different calendars. The Agricultural calendar was used for everyday life. It had three seasons, each with four months. Over time, the Egyptians realized their calendar was a bit off. They didn't have a "leap year" like we do today. This meant the calendar would say it was flood season, but the flood wouldn't come until later.

The Egyptians noticed that the bright star Sirius would rise just before the annual flood. They used this as the true beginning of their year and the start of the flooding season.

Worship of Nut

Even though Nut was shown in many temples, tombs, and on ceilings, she didn't have her own special temple like other major gods and goddesses. She was not widely worshipped in public places. However, she was still seen as a protective goddess, much like Bast, the goddess of cats.