New research suggests that ancient depictions of the Egyptian sky goddess Nut may contain an early representation of the Milky Way galaxy. According to Dr. Or Graur, an astrophysicist and associate professor at the University of Portsmouth, a recurring dark, zigzagging band across Nut’s back could symbolize the Great Rift, a dense dust lane that cuts through the Milky Way. This discovery offers yet another glimpse into the remarkable astronomical awareness of ancient Egyptian civilization, reinforcing their place among early pioneers of celestial interpretation.
In ancient Egyptian lore, one of Nut’s roles was to protect the world from a threatening abyss, also known as Nun. Nut was often depicted arching protectively above the Earth, which was frequently represented by her brother and another Egyptian god, Geb. A collection of ancient Egyptian astronomical texts called the Book of Nut also links the rising and setting of the sun with the goddess. According to it, Nut gives birth to the sun every morning, and swallows it in the evening to complete one daily cycle.
Nut’s representation had been studied by Dr. Graur prior to the new research. He posited that her arms are sometimes drawn to mimic a north-south orientation. Graur pairs this observation with the idea that Nut is representative of the Milky Way, which goes from north to south in the winter and east to west in the summer.
In his more recent research, Dr. Graur furthers his hypothesis by examining variations in Nut’s representation across 555 ancient Egyptian coffins. A number of them, including depictions from the funerary casket of the priestess Nesitaudjatakhet and from tombs of pharaohs Seti I, Ramesses IV, and VI, include a dark band zigzagging down Nut’s back in a manner consistent with Graur’s hypothesis.
Dr. Graur succinctly sums up his research. “I think that the undulating curve represents the Milky Way and could be a representation of the Great Rift–the dark band of dust that cuts through the Milky Way’s bright band of diffused light. Comparing this depiction with a photograph of the Milky Way shows the stark similarity.”
These representations of the goddess, according to Dr. Graur, aren’t meant to personify her as the Milky Way, but rather as a blank slate upon which celestial bodies like the stars, the sun, the moon, and galaxies can appear oriented in different directions.
What’s more is that Dr. Graur believes how the Milky Way is depicted in these ancient Egyptian images might mean it was referred to as the “Winding Waterway.” This term would suggest that the ancient Egyptians shared specific similarities with other cultures’ cosmologies, including those of certain Native American communities. These connections open the door to a richer understanding of how early civilizations interpreted the cosmos, and how remarkably interconnected their visions of the night sky may have been.
A new study reveals that ancient Egyptian depictions of the goddess Nut may have referenced the Great Rift in the Milky Way.
The goddess is often pictured arching protectively over the Earth in a way that corresponds with the rising and setting of the sun.
Dr. Or Graur examined hundreds of depictions of the goddess in burial imagery and found numerous versions that featured a black band snaking down her back.
Photo: Graur, Or. (2023). THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN COSMOLOGICAL VIGNETTE: FIRST VISUAL EVIDENCE OF THE MILKY WAY AND TRENDS IN COFFIN DEPICTIONS OF THE SKY GODDESS NUT. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 27(3), 108. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.140-2807.2025.01.06 (CC BY 4.0)
The band of darkness mimics the Great Rift, a dense dust lane that cuts through the Milky Way.
Source: The Ancient Egyptian Cosmological Vignette: First Visual Evidence of the Milky Way and Trends in Coffin Depictions of the Sky Goddess Nut
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