Shu was the air god who separated Geb and Nut in ancient Egyptian creation mythology.
In the Heliopolitan Ennead, Shu and his sister-consort Tefnut were among the first divine beings, created by Atum or Ra-Atum. They became the parents of Geb, the earth god, and Nut, the sky goddess. Geb and Nut were originally locked together, preventing the ordered world from emerging.
Shu forced himself between them and raised Nut above Geb. This created the essential space between sky and earth where light, air, weather, gods, and living creatures could exist. Shu therefore represented more than wind: he embodied the atmosphere, breath, light, and the principle of separation that made cosmic order possible.
A common mix-up is confusing Shu with Geb or Nut. Geb is the earth below, while Nut is the star-covered sky above. Shu is the figure physically holding them apart, often shown as a man wearing an ostrich feather. Egyptian artists also portrayed him as a lion, linking him with solar power and protective strength.