XPost: alt.history.ancient-egypt   
   From: eugene@dynagen..co..za   
      
   "Katherine Griffis"  wrote:   
      
      
   >   
   >Nut was the sister-wife of Geb, the daughter of Shu and Tefnut, and the   
   >granddaughter of Ra/Atum according to the Heliopolitan theology.  It is   
   >said that Shu was disturbed by the constant copulation of Nut and her   
   >husband Geb, which is why he (as the wind) stepped in between them to   
   >separate them.  Most visual representations of Nut show her arched over   
   >her husband Geb, who reclines on the base (ground) line, usually in an   
   >ithyphallic pose.  Between them stands Shu, holding his daughter up in   
   >the arched position - such that Geb and Nut can constantly view one   
   >another, but are never joined together again.   
   >   
   >There is no known Egyptian myth which has Nut in a sexual relationship   
   >with Thoth or Ra.  By Geb, she bore 4 children: Nephthys, Isis (twins),   
   >Sutekh/Seth and Osiris (also twins).  All were born normally from Nut,   
   >except Sutekh/Seth, who was said to have burst forth from his mother's   
   >side.Whatever the case, Nut was never considered a "virgin mother."   
   >   
   >The eldest of the gods was Neith, herself a creatrix, who was said to   
   >have born the gods Ra and Sobk without the need of a consort.  That she   
   >created the world, the gods, and all that is extant merely by moving as   
   >light over the still waters of Nun places her acts of creation very   
   >similar to those listed in Genesis 1: 2-7.   
   >   
   >Androgynous by nature, Neith possessed both male and female   
   >characteristics, as did most Egyptian creator deities. She was the only   
   >goddess creator deity, however. This makes her the closest thing in   
   >Egyptian mythology to a "virgin mother."   
   >   
   >Neith self-described her attributes in Proclus' _In Timaeum_, I,  30,   
   >as "I am that which is, which shall be, and which has been. None ever   
   >uplifted my veil. The fruit which I brought forth was the sun."  She is   
   >identified with the "sky above" above Nut, visible at sunrise and   
   >sunset only, which refers to her aspect as the Milky Way, which is   
   >sometimes identified with the Duat (el-Sayed 1982, I: 70, citing the   
   >writings of Horapollo who claimed the Neith was the "superior" sky   
   >above the normal sky).   
   >   
   >More information on these various aspects of Neith can be found as   
   >follows:   
      
   Am I correct in assuming that virginity as such was of minor   
   importance throughout most of ancient Egyptian times with fertility   
   and fecundity being more highly prized?   
      
      
      
   Eugene L Griessel   
      
      When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)