The lotus flower appeared in legends originating both from ancient Egypt, then later India. The lotus flower has its roots in mud and reaches through the water to the sun. The symbology of the lotus flower represents spiritual growth and enlightenment.

The lotus flower played a prominent role in the version of the ancient Egyptian creation story. Before the universe came into being, there was an infinite ocean of inert water which constituted the primeval cosmic being named Nun. Out of Nun emerged a lotus flower, together with a single mound of dry land. The lotus blossoms opened, and out stepped the self-created sun neter, Ra. The petals of the lotus blossom enfolded him when he returned to it each night. The lotus is a flower which opens and closes each day.

The lotus flower has been featured extensively throughout the art of ancient Egypt. In various works of art, you may see it held in the hand of a neter or human, serving as a border to outline a section of the artwork, unfolding to reveal various neteru or humans, and many other depictions.

Lotus flowers and waterliles grew in the Nile and sacred pools around ancient temples. The blue lotus was considered sacred to the ancient Egyptians and associated with the Spirit of Nefertum and healing sciences.
In the Near East (Mesopotamia), the lotus was the flower of Lilith, the Sumero-Babylonian goddess that Jews claimed was Adam's first wife.