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Cosmogony (Late to Ptolemaic and Roman Periods) UCLA UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology Title Cosmogony (Late to Ptolemaic and Roman Periods) Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8tf3j2qq Journal UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, 1(1) Author McClain, Brett Publication Date 2011-05-18 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California COSMOGONY (LATE TO PTOLEMAIC AND ROMAN PERIODS) نظرية الخلق (من العصر المتأخر حتى العصرين البطلمى والرومانى) Brett McClain EDITORS WILLEKE WENDRICH Editor-in-Chief University of California, Los Angeles JACCO DIELEMAN Editor Area Editor Religion University of California, Los Angeles ELIZABETH FROOD Editor University of Oxford JOHN BAINES Senior Editorial Consultant University of Oxford Short Citation: McClain, 2011, Cosmogony (Late to Ptolemaic and Roman Periods). UEE. Full Citation: McClain, Brett, 2011, Cosmogony (Late to Ptolemaic and Roman Periods). In Jacco Dieleman, Willeke Wendrich (eds.), UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, Los Angeles. http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz0028961v 1036 Version 1, May 2011 http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz0028961v COSMOGONY (LATE TO PTOLEMAIC AND ROMAN PERIODS) نظرية الخلق (من العصر المتأخر حتى العصرين البطلمى والرومانى) Brett McClain Kosmogonie (Spätzeit und griechisch-römische Zeit) Cosmogonie (basse époque et époque gréco-romaine) Cosmogonies of Late Period and Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt are founded upon those of the earlier “classic” ages, incorporating old texts and themes but elaborating them to form new compositions, synthesizing elements of the major Heliopolitan, Memphite, and Hermopolitan theologies with texts and rituals more specific to the deities of local cult centers, as well as newly developed theological concepts. تأسست نظريات نشاة الكون الخاصة بالعصر المتأخر والعصرين البطلمى والروماني على تلك النظريات التى تعود إلى العصور «الكﻻسيكية» السابقة والتي تحتوى على على نصوص ومواضيع قديمة، ولكن تم صياغتھا بشكل جديد، حيث تم دمج عناصر كل اﻷنظمة الﻻھوتية من ھليوبوليس، ومنف، وھرموبوليس مع النصوص والطقوس الخاصة بعبادة المعبودات المحلية باﻹضافة إلى مفاھيم ﻻھوتية جديدة. t is essential when considering the evolution is hardly conceivable . The only I Egyptian cosmogonical systems suitable method of classification should then current during the Late and be purely typological…” (Derchain 1977: Ptolemaic and Roman Periods to keep in column 748)—a valid opinion, perhaps, if the mind that, as with other elements of religious subject is to be considered thematically, as a thought, they were the result of a steady and component of the spectrum of ancient continuous process of development extending Egyptian religious beliefs. Within the period back to the times of the earliest religious under consideration, however, an awareness writings. At no point in Pharaonic history of the historical framework of their were Egyptian beliefs about the world’s continuing development is indispensable. This origins suddenly transformed into something is true not only because of the widespread significantly other than they had previously influence of concepts found in early texts been. Indeed, so deeply rooted are even the upon later compositions (see, for example, latest Egyptian cosmogonical compositions in von Bomhard 2008: 59 - 76), but also because the textually attested belief systems of the the selection, nature, and preservation of the earlier dynastic ages, incorporating textual source material attesting later fundamental Middle Kingdom and even Old cosmogonies was determined by historical Kingdom concepts (as exemplified in Smith circumstances. The evidence for 2002: 201 - 204), that Derchain was moved to cosmogonical beliefs in Ptolemaic and Roman opine that “. a presentation of historical times originating from sites in the Fayum is a Cosmogony (Late to Ptolemaic and Roman Periods), McClain, UEE 2011 1 case in point, as on the one hand the heavy and colorful congress of separate, yet colonization of that province under the sometimes interdependent, cosmological Ptolemies and the resulting foundation of new systems that was maintained with remarkable temple complexes led to the composition of consistency through the very latest texts in the cosmogonical treatises emphasizing Roman Period. Thus in these later stages of preferentially Fayumic elements (cf. Smith history the three great “theologies”—the 2002: 198 - 199), while on the other hand Memphite, the Heliopolitan, and the fortuitous environmental conditions in that Hermopolitan—are still useful in identifying region have led to the preservation of papyrus and categorizing various thematic elements; copies of these compositions, which are of though interdependent to some degree even the greatest significance (Beinlich 1991). in the New Kingdom, and increasingly Conversely, the generally poor preservation of synthesized with local cults as time passed, temple sites in Lower Egypt has led doubtless each of these cosmogonies continued to offer to the loss of much significant written and a distinctive presentation of cosmic origins. inscribed material (the primary exceptions being the Nectanebid naoi with their Heliopolitan Traditions astronomical/cosmographic treatises) that Well attested in mortuary literature from the would surely have shed light on the earliest times, the essential elements of the cosmogonical ideas current in the Memphite Heliopolitan theology are elaborated in region and the Delta—wherein theological written documents of the Late Period. Among thought and composition certainly continued these is a papyrus (P. Brooklyn 47.218.84) to flourish—during the same period. Even in dating to the 26th Dynasty, which preserves a Upper Egypt, the varied and inconsistent significant exposition of that city’s foundation preservation of temple structures dating to the myth, including a description of Ra-Atum’s Late and Ptolemaic and Roman centuries self-stimulatory act of creation, aided by his affects the availability of cosmogonical two hands, which are divinized as an avatar of sources. Although large-scale temple Hathor-Nebet-Hetepet (Meeks 2006: 9 - 10, construction, and the concomitant production 192 - 197). The Heliopolitan theology is most of theological treatises on papyrus for temple fully recorded, however, in a section of the use, continued to be undertaken between the Book of Knowing the Manifestations of Ra and of end of the 20th Dynasty and the beginning of Overthrowing the Serpent Apophis, a text of late the Ptolemaic Period, these monuments and New Kingdom origin, found in the fourth- their libraries are, with notable exceptions century BCE manuscript P. Bremner-Rhind such as the temple of Hibis in Kharga, (Faulkner 1937: 166). It details the creation by relatively sparsely preserved, resulting in a Atum-Khepri of Shu and Tefnut in the stretch of several centuries during which the primordial waters of Nun by means of cosmogonical text-tradition is less easy to masturbation and spitting, with these two follow, particularly when compared to the vast deities subsequently engendering Geb and body of evidence from the subsequent Nut, who then produced Osiris, Horus, Seth, Ptolemaic and Roman monumental programs. Isis, and Nephthys; also described is the origin Within the historical strictures thus of mankind from Atum’s tears (Faulkner imposed, determining as they did both the 1938). That this papyrus was copied, at least production and, to a great extent, the in part, by a Theban priest (Faulkner 1936: preservation of religious texts, the sources 121) illustrates the continuing widespread may also be surveyed geographically, since, as influence of Heliopolitan mythology at this is well known, the various cosmogonies time, even in a city with a flourishing current throughout Egyptian history were, in cosmological system of its own. origin, rooted in locally specific traditions and framed around the pantheons specific to individual cult-centers—members of a varied Cosmogony (Late to Ptolemaic and Roman Periods), McClain, UEE 2011 2 Memphite Traditions theogony in “pure” form. Indeed, it is best known elsewhere, since it was integrated with The cosmogonical system of Memphis is most other cosmogonies, particularly those of famously known from a stela inscribed during Memphis and the Theban region (compare, th the reign of Shabaqo during the 25 Dynasty, for example, the Hermonthite text: see Thiers and based, according to the introductory and Volokhine 2005: 73 - 77), from the New section of the text, on a “worm-eaten” Kingdom onwards; an important recent study document, presumably found in the temple of (Zivie-Coche 2009) draws attention to the Ptah. Though written in Old Egyptian, and dominance of Theban sources for the once thought to be a copy of a document Hermopolitan myth. During the Late and dating to the Old Kingdom (Junker 1940: 6 - Ptolemaic Periods, the Hermopolitan Ogdoad 16; Sethe 1928: 2 - 5), the text transcribed of primordial deities—Heh and Hehet, Kek under Shabaqo is now generally considered to and Keket, Nun and Nunet, and Niu and have been of later date, composed in a Niuet representing the four components of deliberately archaizing style (Junge 1973, but pre-creation (infinite time, darkness, the cf. von Lieven 2007: 255 - 257). It contains a primeval waters, and the void), for the last of long section in which Ptah-Tatenen is said to which Amun and Amunet are sometimes bring Atum, with Shu, Tefnut, and the rest of substituted—figure prominently in the Heliopolitan Ennead, into being by the cosmogonical texts of major temples and in
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