A triad is an association of three kindred or correlated deities. In ancient Egypt, cycles of this type usually arose out of the association with the chief local god of other deities; in some instances the members were deemed to stand in the relationship of father, mother and child. Such were the Theban triad of Amen, Nut and Khons; the Memphite of Ptah, Sekhet and Nefertum; and the Osiris-Isis-Horus triad, which, n the Alexandrian form, comprised Serapis, Isis and Harpocrates.
In Babylonia, triads were derived from early conceptions of a cosmic trinity, such as Anu, Enlil and Ea representing sky, earth and water: and shin, Shamash and Ishtar, representing sun, moon and star. Early Aryan thought moved in the same direction in the Vedic triad of Agni, Indra and Surya, representing fire, wind and sun. out of this emerged the Brahman Trimurti, or three aspects, portrayed as a three-headed image in a famous sculpture at Elephanta, and comprising Brahma, the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Siva the destroyer.
Buddhism adopted the principle in the Triratna, or three jewels, which were at first the Sangha or monastic order, portrayed as a man holding a lotus, the Buddha, and the Dharma, or sacred law.
The Triad Society of China, denoting the union of heaven, earth and man arose in the 18th century and became a powerful anti-dynastic movement. Research Triad
In Babylonian mythology, Shamash was the sun god and god of justice and divination. His light enable to see every misdeed and also see into the future. Every morning the scorpion men opened a gate in the vast mountain of Mashu and Shamash slowly climbed the mountain and as evening approached he rode his chariot towards another great mountain and disappeared inside. During the night Shamash travelled through the depths of the earth back to Mashu. Together with his wife, Aya, he had two children: Kittu, justice and Misharu, law and righteousness. Shamash relates to the Sumerian god Utu. Research Shamash
In Sumerian mythology, Utu was the sun god and god of justice. He was the son of Nanna and Ningal. He goes to the underworld at the end of every day setting in the mountain of the west and rising in the mountain of the east. While in the underworld he decrees the fate of the dead. Utu relates to the Babylonian god Shamash. Research Utu
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Triad
