In Egyptian mythology, Shu is the god of air who separates the earth from the sky.
Shu belongs to the Heliopolitan Ennead, a major divine family centered on Heliopolis. In that tradition, the creator Atum produced Shu and his sister Tefnut. Shu later became the father of Geb, the earth god, and Nut, the sky goddess.
The central image of Shu’s mythology shows him holding Nut above Geb. Their separation created the space in which the ordered, visible world could exist. Shu therefore represents the air or atmosphere between earth and sky, as well as lightness, calm, and the maintenance of cosmic order. Egyptian art often depicts him wearing an ostrich feather, a symbol linked to lightness and emptiness.
A frequent mix-up is confusing the roles of the family members. Geb is earth, Nut is sky, and Shu is the force that keeps them apart. Atum is the creator who begins the Heliopolitan family, but he is not the god specifically personified as air. Shu could also appear with leonine features when portrayed as a fierce protector or defender.