Iconography

In his iconography Shu could be represented as a lion but is usually seen in human form as a god wearing a feather - the hieroglyphic symbol for his name - upon his head. He is often depicted with his arms raised supporting the sky goddess Nut and holding her apart from her consort Geb with the assistance of the magical Heh deities. The god also appears in certain other mythologically-based scenes such as that portrayed in the famous headrest found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. In that

Male Anthropomorphic Deities

(Below) Shu, god of the air and of sunlight, is commonly identified by the tall feather worn on his head.

(Bottom) Shu was frequently depicted in Egyptian art holding the body of his daughter, the sky goddess Nut, above his son, the earth god Geb.

Ivory head-rest from the tomb of Tutankhamun showing the god Shu who supported the head of the king-symbolically the sun - as it ‘set’ and ‘rose’ between the lions of yesterday and tomorrow. 18th dynasty. Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

Artifact the god kneels between two lions symbolizing Shu and Tefnut and the horizons of yesterday and tomorrow, to support the sleeper’s head on his upraised arms, doubtless symbolic of his upholding the sun. Although not found frequently in three-dimensional representations, he does appear in amuletic form, usually kneeling with his arms raised - often supporting a sun disk.