Ogdoad

The eight deities or gods of ancient Egyptian religion as well as in Gnosticism.

In Egyptian religion, the Ogdoad came from the primeval waters. They consist of four pairs of males and females: Nun and Naunet, Kuk and Kauket, Hu and Hauhet and Amun and Amaunet. The males are depicted with heads of snakes, while the females have heads of frogs. The universe was created from them.

The Gnostics have their own Ogdoads. Valentinus taught something similar to the Egyptians, where the Ogdoads also consist of four pairs of male and females: Bythos and Silence, Mind and Truth, Word and Life, Man and Church. Basilides taught of two kinds of Ogdoads. The first is the union of the seven highest genii with the Father. The other Ogdoad is the Great Archon (Demiurge) and his son. The Second Archon and his son is the Hebdomad or the septenary. There are many other meanings of Ogdoad among the Gnostics.

Helena P. Blavatsky states that the Ogdoad and their mother, Sophia, is analogous to the eight sons of Aditi of Hinduism (SD I:72).

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