Hey everyone, welcome to Mythology Explained. In today's video, we're going to discuss the Ogdoad, the group of 8 primordial gods who embody the qualities of chaos in Egyptian mythology - a group of 8 self-created gods so ancient they existed for years uncounted before creation even began.

We're going to begin with the Waters of Nun and at how the ancient Egyptians conceptualized the universe. Then we're going to discuss the Ogdoad: where they came from, who they were, and what their purpose was. And finally, we're going to wrap up by taking a quick look at the complementary nature of different creation myths in Ancient Egyptian mythology

Alright, let's get into it.

The Waters of Nun, also known as the Primordial Waters, are a fundamental concept in ancient Egyptian cosmology, referring to the formless, chaotic, and boundless expanse of water that existed before creation. In ancient Egyptian beliefs, the universe emerged from this watery abyss, with the primeval mound, or Benben, rising from the waters to become the first dry land and the site of creation. This process of emergence from the chaos of the Waters of Nun is often referred to as the "Zep Tepi," or the "First Time," which marked the beginning of time and heralded the beginning of life on Earth.

Similar concepts of an infinite chaos preceding creation can be found in other mythologies. In Greek mythology, Chaos is the primordial deity representing the void or formless state from which the cosmos emerged (Hesiod, 2006). In Norse mythology, Ginnungagap is the primordial void that existed before the creation of the cosmos. It is described as a vast abyss, lying between the realms of fire (Muspelheim) and ice (Niflheim). When the fire and ice met in Ginnungagap, they formed the first giant, Ymir, marking the beginning of creation.

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