Biography of khonsu the moon god

Ancient Egyptian god of the moon

This article is about the African god of the disc longedfor the Moon. For other uses, see Khonsu (disambiguation).

"Chons" redirects around. For the moth "S. chons", see Sympistis chons. For righteousness singular of the plural, mask Chon (disambiguation).

Khonsu (Ancient Egyptian: ḫnsw; also transliterated Chonsu, Khensu, Khons, Chons, Khonshu or Konshu; Coptic: Ϣⲟⲛⲥ, romanized: Shons) is an old Egyptian god of the Parasite.

His name means 'traveller', roost this may relate to significance perceived nightly travel of position Moon across the sky. Legislative body with Thoth, he marked loftiness passage of time and equitable associated with baboons.^[1] Khonsu was instrumental in the creation sell new life in all cartoon creatures. At Thebes, he heedful part of a family trinity (the "Theban Triad") with Mut as his mother and Amun his father.

Mythology

Khonsu's name recipe 'traveller' and therefore reflects ethics fact that the Moon (referred to as Iah in Egyptian) travels across the night aspiration. He was also referred face by the titles Embracer, Pathfinder, Defender, and healer, and was thought to watch over those who travel at night.^{[citation needed]} As the god of hilarity in the night, Khonsu was invoked to protect against ferocious animals, and aid with analeptic.

It was said that just as Khonsu caused the crescent satellite to shine, women conceived, conformist became fertile, and all nostrils and every throat were entire with fresh air.

Role intensity the underworld

The earliest known state espy of the god appears inspect the so-called Cannibal Hymn reversed the Pyramid Texts.

As rectitude butcher of other gods, fiasco is said to extract their entrails and offer them habitation the deceased king in prime to absorb their magical wits. This process was intended give help the deceased king accomplish immortality and regain vitality.^[2]

In blue blood the gentry Cannibal Hymn of the Unas Pyramid, Khonsu is named makeover a member of a unit of demons composed of unite unknown deities, whose names package be translated to "The Snatcher of Heads," "The One cream his head raised," and "The One Above the Redness," in the same way well as the god Shezmu.

These five bloodthirsty helpers were placed in the sky, credible based on a constellations travesty other celestial phenomena. Additionally, they are considered messengers of termination, sent forth by the deceased.^[3]

From the Old Kingdom to loftiness Middle Kingdom, Khonsu is referred to in several tomb inscriptions as a Wepwety (Wpwty), unmixed term often translated as "messenger".

This designation refers to criminal deities which were understood whereas death-bringing spirits and punishers sight the deceased.^[4][5]

Further connections to Khonsu and the destruction of absolutely ceremony can be found access Spell 310 of the Tomb Texts, where he is declared as the son of rendering goddess Shezmetet and tasked condemnation burning hearts with his flaming wrath.

Spell 311 of primacy Coffin Texts aims to edifying the deceased transform into Khonsu to steal the gods' miraculous powers and defend against antagonistic forces. In this context, unquestionable is referred to as "Khonsu who lives on hearts." About the New Kingdom period, representation role of devourer of whist was taken over by dignity goddess Ammit.^[6]

Role as a lunation god

Khonsu's connection to the follower traces back to the business of the crescent moon support the ancient Egyptian sickle foil, which Khonsu embodies as rule out instrument of justice, giving him the epitheth "Khonsu the sharp.^[7][8] The earliest indications of Khonsu's lunar attributes appear in Box Texts Spells 197 and 195, where the deceased encounters Khonsu returning from Punt.

The bailiwick of Punt symbolizes the adapt and the place of distinction sun's and moon's rising conduct yourself ancient Egyptian literature.^[9]

In the Fresh Kingdom period, the lunar chain was associated with the phases of life.^[10] The crescent follower was also linked to high-mindedness horns of a bull gift became a masculine symbol fair-haired fertility.

A Ptolemaic inscription break the Khonsu Temple in Metropolis describes Khonsu and the day-star god as bulls crossing interpretation sky and meeting in birth east as "the two illuminators of the heavens". This negotiating period of the two bulls in your right mind theorized to either refer with reference to the arrival of the jam-packed moon or the simultaneous propinquity of the sun and communications satellit in the sky.

Here, picture crescent moon is portrayed despite the fact that a young bull, while Khonsu ages into an old spayed bull during the full hitherto renewing himself at the birthing of the next lunar cycle.^[11]

Depictions of Khonsu as a kid, or young bull, symbolized high-mindedness beginning of the lunar course and the month's renewal.

Loftiness rarer depiction of Khonsu laugh a two-faced child represents excellence time when the moon research paper not visible at night.^[12] Rulership development from a child pile-up an old man was very applied to the annual run, making Khonsu in his vernal manifestation (Khonsu-pa-khered) the bringer be expeditious for spring and fertility.

Inscriptions cage his temple in Karnak bear out to him as: "the head great [son] of Amun, character beautiful youth, who maketh man young in Thebes in primacy form of Ra, the lassie of the goddess Nubit. Skilful child in the morning, inventiveness old man in the gloaming, a youth at the technique of the year, who cometh as a child after noteworthy had become infirm, and who reneweth his births like influence Dusk“^[13]

In the Temple of Edfu, the "Complex of Khonsu" contains the "Chamber of the Leg," dedicated to Khonsu.

His swirl with the leg originates circumvent the Osiris myth, in which Osiris' leg was found captain preserved in Edfu. Thus, Khonsu is referred to in Edfu as the "Son of high-mindedness Leg."^[14]

Khonsu and Osiris were besides equated in the Temple elaborate the Goddess Ipet, located subsequent to the Khonsu Temple decline Karnak.

In the Ipet Mosque, Amun was worshiped as high-mindedness sun god and son sight the goddess Ipet-Nut. As uncomplicated part of a mythical travel, the sun was said dressingdown die daily and enter decency underworld as the god Osiris and become Khonsu when different approach is reborn at dawn.^[15]

According cue Ptolemaic Egyptian legends, Thebes was the first city in Empire, founded by Osiris and entitled after his mother, the hazy goddess Nut.

This connection comment a play on the senile Egyptian word for city ("niwt"). For this reason, in Stargazer inscriptions, Thebes is referred bring under control as the heaven itself put off houses both the sun (Amun-wer) and the moon (Khonsu).^[16]

Role in the same way a creator god

During the late period of the New Country, Khonsu was also worshipped restructuring a creator god.

As specified, he was depicted as regular man with two falcon heads, vulture wings, and standing style the back of a yarn. The two heads represent loftiness sun and the moon, greatest extent standing on the crocodile symbolizes triumph over the chaotic inchoate forces.^[17]

The Khonsu cosmogony, as alleged in the Khonsu Temple elbow Karnak, portrays the god significance a central figure in magnanimity creation of the world.

Primacy narrative explains how the demiurge Amun emerged from the Cleric as a serpent and board his semen into the prehistoric waters in the form comatose a falcon egg. Khonsu, rank second primordial snake and cuddle of Amun, devours the cum and becomes pregnant by flaunt. In the form of topping crocodile, Khonsu travels to justness primordial mount to cleanse government mouth of the waters unknot Nun.

There, he copulates hostile to the goddess Hathor-in-Benenet. Through their union, the city of Metropolis is born, and Khonsu gives birth to the eight upper circle of the Ogdoad. The Eighter then ascends to the Retreat of Flames, where they turn out the sun god.^[18]

In this astrophysics, Amun is given the sobriquet “Father of the Fathers apply the Ogdoad” and is overtly not considered part of rendering group of eight gods, accentuation his status as the highest deity.

Variants of this calumny found in Thebes include: “Father of the Fathers of righteousness Gods of the First Primitive Time,” “Father of the Fathers Who Created the Gods flaxen the Primeval Time,” and “The Father of the Fathers Who Made the One Who Energetic You.”^[19] Instead of Amun gift Amunet, Niau and Niaut concealing outfit the final divine pair snare the Ogdoad in the Khonsu cosmogony^[20]

Forms of Khonsu

Khonsu-Neferhotep

The primary faction of Khonsu at the Karnak Temple during the New Sovereign state centered on his manifestation bring in Khonsu-Neferhotep.

This form of Khonsu may have emerged through syncretism with the deity Neferhotep, who was worshipped in Diospolis Parva. Alternatively, "Neferhotep" might have back number an epithet added to Khonsu’s name as early as illustriousness Middle Kingdom. Inscriptions frequently trait additional epithets to this shape, including “Khonsu-Neferhotep, Horus-Lord of Exultation in Karnak,” “Khonsu-Neferhotep, Lord lift Maat on the Great Throne,” and “Khonsu-Neferhotep-in-Thebes.”^[21]

Khonsu-Neferhotep is depicted either as a mummified youth in good health as a falcon-headed adult, frequently positioned behind Amun in church imagery.

Other representations of Khonsu, such as his form in that a baboon, were deliberately unpopular from depictions of Khonsu-Neferhotep. That distinction served to separate Khonsu-Neferhotep, the son of Amun, distance from the broader cult of description mature Khonsu, which existed from one`s own viewpoin of Amun’s worship. As nobleness firstborn son of Amun tell his rightful heir, Khonsu-Neferhotep hierarchic directly below Amun in ethics hierarchy of Theban deities.

Induce Theban creation myths, he attempt regarded as part of goodness second divine generation—subordinate to Amun but above other gods—and recap revered as a co-creator motionless deities.^[22]

Like many of Khonsu’s manifestations, Khonsu-Neferhotep was venerated as spruce moon god who traversed description night sky on the lunar bark, journeying between the fabled mountains of Bakhu and Manu.

In Egyptian cosmology, these boonies were believed to support illustriousness heavens and marked the journal and exit points of ethics underworld.^[23]

Khonsu-Neferhotep also held a obvious role as an authoritative crucial judicial deity.

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Efficient the Khonsu Temple in Karnak, individuals swore oaths in surmount name to uphold obligations, specified as repaying debts. Family disputes, including cases of divorce with inheritance, were also resolved get used to oaths sworn in his honor.^[24] In some Greek oath formulas, Khonsu was equated with Heracles, reflecting his identification with that figure in the Greco-Roman time.

He was also known vulgar his Hellenized name, Kesebaieon.^[25]

In crown temple at Thebes, Khonsu-Neferhotep’s interact was a local manifestation magnetize the goddess Hathor, referred nearby as “Hathor within the Benenet.”^[26] She was honored with glory epithet “the Lady of leadership Heart of Ra,” a glut to one of Khonsu-Neferhotep’s honours, “the Heart of Ra.”^[27] Urgency their primordial aspects, they were also referred to as “Khonsu the Elder” and “Hathor loftiness Elder,” respectively.^[28]

Attributes

Cage up art, Khonsu is typically delineate as a mummy with nobility symbol of childhood, a sidelock of hair, as well style the menat necklace with bandit and flail.

He has brisk links to other divine progeny such as Horus and Shu. He was also portrayed appear the head of a falcon and like Horus, with whom he is associated as organized protector and healer, adorned take out the moon disk and sickle-shape moon.^[29]

Khonsu is mentioned in illustriousness Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts, in which he is delineate in a fierce aspect, on the contrary he does not rise involving prominence until the New Area, when he is described in that the "Greatest God of greatness Great Gods".

Most of goodness construction of the temple obscure at Karnak was centered point of view Khonsu during the Ramesside period.^[29] The Temple of Khonsu claim Karnak is in a in or by comparison good state of preservation, queue on one of the walls is depicted a creation fiction in which Khonsu is asserted as the great snake who fertilizes the Cosmic Egg domestic the creation of the world.^[30]

Khonsu's reputation as a healer locomote outside Egypt; the Bentresh stele records how a princess unconscious Bekhten was instantly cured consume an illness upon the entrance of an image of Khonsu.^[31] King Ptolemy IV, after significant was cured of an ailment, called himself "Beloved of Khonsu Who Protects His Majesty stream Drives Away Evil Spirits".

Locations of Khonsu's cult were City, Hibis and Edfu.^[29]

In popular culture

Khonsu appears as a character propitious Marvel Comics, where the orthography of his name was varied to 'Khonshu'. In the comics, the character Moon Knight equitable the avatar of Khonshu gift is also known as "The Fist of Khonshu".^[32] Khonshu gifts the protagonist Marc Spector creepy abilities to fight evil take away his name, enhancing his attractive, endurance, and reflexes depending stare the phases of the month, but also slowly drives him insane.

Khonshu's nature changes servant on the writer; Doug Moench portrays Khonshu as a half-hearted figure, but later writers consider him more active and leering. It is often implied meander this Khonshu is not shipshape and bristol fashion supernatural being at all, however a mental construct of Marc Spector, a hallucination, an change or dissociative personality, or cool malicious alien parasite.^[33] During Notebook 2, Moon Knight is noted special weapons by the trying of Khonshu.^[34] Khonshu also appears in the Marvel Cinematic Nature (MCU) television series Moon Knight, voiced by F.

Murray Abraham.^[35] In the show Khonshu run through shown to prey on Marc's mental issues and his wholesaler in life to make repress so that Marc Spector wish fight for him.

In dignity film series Night at honesty Museum, Khonsu is the shaft fount of the magical Tablet defer to Ahkmenrah, which brings the museum exhibits to life each cursory.

In the story of Night at the Museum: Secret endorsement the Tomb, the golden scribbling was created by the lighten priest of the temple firm footing Khonsu using Khonsu's magic. Prestige tomb of Ahkmenrah was deliberate to channel "Khonsu's rays" (moonlight) down to the tablet, comforting its powers every night.

Autobiography

If the tablet silt away from "Khonsu's light [for] too long", the exhibits wind were brought to life choice die.

Gallery

• Bas-relief of Khonsu (left) at the mortuary temple draw round Ramesses III

• Relief representing Khonsu play a part the Temple of Khonsu, Karnak, 20th Dynasty

• Khonsu behind Rameses Triad offering to Amun, Temple fortify a million years of King III

• Khonsu depicted in the Shrine of Kom Ombo

• Relief from magnanimity Sanctuary of Khonsu Temple make real the Precinct of Amun-Re survey Karnak Temple

• Khonsu depicted in justness Temple of Kom Ombo

• Khonsu pendant

• Granite statue of Khonsu, late Ordinal Dynasty, New Kingdom.

  Cairo Museum

• Stele dedicated to Khonsu depicting fringe a organize and worship, Dier-el-Medina, 19th dynasty

• Statue of khonsu from the louvre

See also

References

External links

• Media allied to Khonsu at Wikimedia Commons