In it, we describe how a recent study provided some evidence for a truly captivating link between the ancient Egyptian goddess Nut and our home — the Milky Way galaxy. Or Graur, an associate professor of astrophysics at the University of Portsmouth, made these conclusions public in a recent paper. They made their national debut in the Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage on April 30. The research explores in-depth 125 representations of Nut, some over 5,000 years old. It reveals her powerful ties to the sky and its otherworldly marvels.
Nut, the goddess of the sky in ancient Egyptian mythology, mesmerizes with her beautiful portrayal. Artists frequently depict her with colorful pencil-like wavy lines swirling over her body. It is the majesty of the landscape and its infinite space that these lines precisely evoke. They depict a wide swath of astronomical phenomena, including stars and possibly the Milky Way itself. Graur wants to make sure we don’t interpret this to mean that we should look at the Milky Way and see Nut. Instead, he contends that it’s simply one of countless celestial attributes that fall under her purview.
Graur’s study focuses on these representations of Nut as art. It’s largely structured around key tombs, including, of course, the famous tomb of Ramesses VI. This tomb includes two consecutive depictions of Nut encircled by flowing waves. Four tombs in the Valley of the Kings feature this rare depiction. Plus, they include absolutely beautiful art of the goddess.
In his critique, Graur points out how important the wavy lines are in these depictions. He wrote, “I think the wavy line is the Milky Way itself. It might be the Great Rift, the dark band of dust that cuts through the band of diffused light that is the Milky Way.” This abstraction combines astronomy and ancient art to offer new insights into the ancient texts and artifacts.
Nut often stretches across Geb, the god of Earth. This stance represents her fierce guardian spirit towards the earth and all of creation. This pose shows her relationship to both the day and night skies, solidifying her role as a divine force in Egyptian cosmology.
Rogério Sousa, a professor of Egyptology at the University of São Paulo, welcomed Graur’s study. He emphasized how it effectively brings an astronomical perspective into the long-known earthly-heavens bridge accomplished through Nut’s body. Sousa was pleased with Or’s suggestion that connects Nut to the Milky Way. He pointed out that this link has long been theorized by Egyptologists. He stressed that Or’s work as an astronomer provides a unique and important astronomical point-of-view. Her expertise brings a new and powerful understanding to these ancient symbols.
Earlier interpretations by Egyptologists suggested that this was the case. Graur’s research brings an additional side to the equation, zeroing in on astronomical influences. He recommends that we avoid the temptation of interpreting the Milky Way purely as a depiction of Nut. Instead, let’s think of it as just another cool astronomical wonder in her backyard.
