Separation of heaven and earth

The separation of heaven and earth is a major event in the creation of the cosmos found in many creation myths across the world, from Egypt to New Zealand. This event functions as a necessary precondition for the rest of the creation event, as before it, the cosmos is chaotic and undifferentiated, sometimes understood in the form of a universal cosmic ocean. The cause of the separation event differs by the mythology, but is either a spontaneous process or one caused by a specific deity. Sumerian literature mentions the separation of heaven and earth more than any other literature, but all the references are in passing, while Egyptian texts place a greater emphasis on the mechanism of the separation.