Newet (Nut) was the personification of the sky, the night sky in particular. As part of the Ennead, she, with her husband and brother Geb, were the children of Shu and Tefnut (themselves offspring Atum), air and moisture respectively, and the parents of Aset (Isis), Wesir (Osiris), Set, Nebt-Het (Nephthys), and in some texts, Heru (Horus). She was also mother to Re in that she gave birth to the sun-god every morning and swallowed him again at night. This was not held to be a contradiction with him traveling the world of the dead during the night in his solar barque - indeed Newet was supposed to embrace the dead into her body. This connection with death and resurrection was a very strong part of Newet's symbology. She is seen as protector of the dead.

UTTERANCE 427

'O Newet, spread yourself over your son Osiris the King that you may conceal him from Set; protect him, O Newet. Have you come that you may conceal your son?

UTTERANCE 428

O Newet, fall over your son Osiris the King, protect him, O Great Protectress, (even) this great one who is among your children.

UTTERANCE 429

Thus says Geb: O Newet, it is well with you; power was yours in the womb of your mother Tefnut before you were born, that you might protect this King, for he has not died.

UTTERANCE 430

You are violent, moving about in your mother's womb in your name of Newet.

UTTERANCE 431

You are the daughter, mighty in her mother, who appeared as a bee; make the King a spirit inside you, for he has not died.

UTTERANCE 432

Thus says Geb: O Newet, it is well with you; power was yours in the womb of your mother Tefnut before you were born, that you might protect this King, for he has not died.

UTTERANCE 433

I have made you fruitful by means of Geb in your name of 'Sky', for I have joined the entire land to you everywhere.

UTTERANCE 434

Be far from the earth, for to you belongs (?) the head of your father Shu; be powerful by means of it, for he has loved you and has set himself under you and (under) all things. You have taken to yourself every god who possesses his barque, that you may install (?) them in the starry sky, lest they depart from you as stars. Do not let this King be far from you in your name of 'Sky'.

Pyramid Texts (5th Dynasty), translated by R.O. Faulkner

Most representations of Newet show her as a woman stretched out over the earth, her hands and feet touching the west and the east, her body being the vault of heaven. Frequently her body is sprinkled with stars, the solar disk between her legs and at her throat. She was often painted on the inside lid of the sarcophagus, protecting the deceased. The vault of the tomb was often painted dark blue with stars in a representation of Newet. Very occasionally she is shown as a cow, like Het-Hert (Hathor), and shares some of the same titles with this other sky-goddess. In the Pyramid Texts she is referred to several times as a bee - symbol of the Netjert (goddess) Nit (Neith). The symbology of Newet giving birth and then consuming her offspring again gave her the title "the sow who eats her piglets" and represented as a suckling sow.