Kek (mythology)

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Kek (also spelled Kuk or Keku) is the primordial god of darkness, obscurity, and the unknown. He is a member of the Ogdoad, a group of eight primordial deities that represent the state of the universe before creation. Kek's female counterpart is Kauket, the goddess of darkness and obscurity. Together, they represent the dualistic concepts of darkness and light (or absence of light) that existed before the world was formed.

The Ogdoad resided in the waters of Nun, the chaotic abyss, and possessed the qualities of formlessness, darkness, infinity, and hiddenness. Kek embodies the darkness and lack of illumination that characterized this pre-creation state. He is often depicted as a frog-headed man, while Kauket is depicted as a snake-headed woman, although sometimes Kek is also represented with a snake head. These animal representations are thought to symbolize the primordial, undifferentiated nature of the pre-creation world.

Kek and Kauket, along with the other members of the Ogdoad, were believed to have eventually given rise to the sun god, Ra, who brought light and order to the universe, ending their reign. While their role diminished after creation, they were not entirely forgotten and continued to be recognized as powerful and essential elements of the Egyptian cosmology.

The concept of Kek and his association with darkness and the unknown highlights the importance of duality in ancient Egyptian thought and their understanding of the creation process as a transition from chaos and darkness to order and light.