Before there was land, sky, or even sunlight, there was only Nun—a vast, dark ocean with no beginning and no end. Nothing grew. Nothing moved. There were no people, animals, or gods. There was only water and darkness.
Then, from the waters of Nun, the first mound of land rose above the surface. On this mound appeared Atum, the creator god. According to the ancient Egyptians of Heliopolis, Atum had created himself and was the first being to exist.
Atum was alone, so he brought two more gods into the world. The first was Shu, the god of air. The second was Tefnut, the goddess of moisture.
Shu and Tefnut later had two children of their own: Geb, the god of the earth, and Nut, the goddess of the sky. According to the story, Geb and Nut were once close together. Shu separated them, lifting Nut high above Geb. In this way, the earth and sky took their places and the world began to take shape.
Geb and Nut then had four children: Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys. Each became an important god in ancient Egyptian religion. Osiris was associated with the afterlife, rebirth, and the dead. Isis, his sister and wife, was associated with motherhood, protection, and healing. Seth was associated with the desert, storms, disorder, and violence. Nephthys was associated with mourning, protection of the dead, and funerary practices.
Together with Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, and Nut, these four gods formed a group of nine gods known as the Ennead.