A recent study suggests that ancient depictions of the Egyptian sky goddess Nut may represent one of the earliest visual interpretations of the Milky Way galaxy. Astrophysicist Or Graur analyzed 125 images of Nut across 555 ancient Egyptian coffins, dated back nearly 5,000 years. In only a few depictions, Nut is shown with a black curve bisecting her star-studded body. Graur believes that this curve could be an early depiction of our home galaxy.
The undulating curve, which appears to represent the Milky Way, shows a stark similarity when compared to a photograph of the galaxy. In these images, Egyptian goddess Nut can be seen arching over the Earth god Geb, forming the sky and symbolizing the solar cycle. Nut is often covered in stars, representing the night sky.
However, Graur argues that while there may be a connection between Nut and the Milky Way, the two are not one and the same. The sky goddess is not always drawn with the dark undulating curve believed to represent the galaxy’s Great Rift.
This study builds on Graur’s initial findings published last year and is part of a larger project focused on multi-cultural mythology of the Milky Way.
Source: https://www.space.com/astronomy/these-5000-year-old-egyptian-coffins-depict-the-milky-way-galaxy-astrophysicist-says