God Khnum | God Of The Waters

God Khnum | God Of The Waters

God Khnum

Khnum, the Egyptian god, is the god of the underworld waters. He was said to travel with the sun through the night.

Creator of Life

Khnum’s main role in Egyptian mythology is as the creator of all living things, humans and gods. He used his potter’s wheel to create life and it’s from this wheel the primordial egg is said to have come from. As the divine potter he shaped not only the physical form but also the Ka (spirit) of each person, hence he is called “Father of Fathers and Mother of Mothers”. His name Khnum means “the modeler”.

Ancient Legends

According to the ancient legends, in the beginning of time, Khnum created each man and woman individually. But one day he got tired of this work and broke his potter’s wheel. From that day on he put a piece of his creative power into each woman so they could give birth to future generations.

God of the Waters

Khnum is often depicted with the head of a ram, wearing an Atef crown and holding an Ankh. As one of the Esna triad along with the goddess Satis, Khnum’s iconography and mythology is central to the Egyptian pantheon.