Editing Atum (section)

==Relationship to other gods==
Atum was a [[causa sui|self-created deity]], the first being to emerge from the darkness and endless [[primordial ocean|watery abyss]] that existed before creation. A product of the energy and matter contained in this chaos, he created his children—the first deities, out of loneliness. He produced from his own sneeze, or in some accounts, semen, [[Shu (Egyptian god)|Shu]], the god of air, and [[Tefnut]], the goddess of moisture. The brother and sister, curious about the primeval waters that surrounded them, went to explore the waters and disappeared into the darkness. Unable to bear his loss, Atum sent a fiery messenger, the [[Eye of Ra]], to find his children. The tears of joy he shed upon their return were the first human beings.<ref>Pinch, Geraldine (2004). ''Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt.'' Oxford University Press. pp. 63–64</ref>