Introduction Regionalism in ancient Egypt produced a variety of creation myths, each of which featured defining divisions, entities, and phenomena, which often represented different facets of Egyptian cosmogony. The regional cosmogonies shared fundamental elements locally adapted through a compilation of literary and visual sources; however, the sources present their own limitations with respect to their interpretation by modern viewers and the intent of the ancients by whom they were created. The scholarly concept of ‘multiplicity of approaches’ is essential to understanding how the Egyptians expressed their beliefs about the created world because they supplied several cosmogenic explanations that were not viewed as contradictory. Cosmogenic …show more content…
The Shabaqo Stone (see Figure 3) describes Ptah’s creation through speech and thought; it says his “heart and tongue gave life to the gods and their kas,” which in turn led to the birth of Atum, the birth of Shu and Tefnut, and thus completed the Ennead. Furthermore, the Stone lists Ptah’s creations: the gods, towns, nomes, shrines, and the Earthly bodies of the gods. At first glance it seems the Memphite cosmogony has a clear function: Ptah assumes the superior role over Atum as the creator, thereby explaining and legitimizing the region’s superiority to Heliopolis. On the other hand, the Memphite myth introduces an explanation for the finished products of creation, all of which were familiar to all ancient …show more content…
After the evolution of the Ogdoad, Amun is the source of creation in another direct address in: “The Ennead is combined in your body: your image is every god, joined in your person.” Lastly, the Papyrus emphasizes Amun’s transcendence by describing his evolution as “completing himself in Atum” after emerging from “the Waters that he might lead everyone.” As in other cosmogonies, the Theban myths assert their creator god as autogenous, but Amun becomes the creator of the gods of other regions. The Theban cosmogony combines the Ennead of the Heliopolitan and Memphite cosmogonies with the Ogdoad of Hermopolitan origin to explain precreation and creation. By incorporating the major creation myths of other regions, they were able to establish their supremacy by introducing and explaining different facets of