Text: THE 'BENNU-PHOENIX' BIRD In ancient Egypt, the Benu or Bennu bird was known as the 'Sun Bird'. 'Dictionary of Symbolic & Mythological Animals', p. 24, J. Cooper, Thorsons, 1992 All images of the Bennu bird are generally shown connected to the sun in some fashion. 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 444, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 Legend says that the Bennu bird rose from the flames of a burning palm tree in the city of Heliopolis ('City of the Sun') in ancient Egypt. The home of the Bennu is Heliopolis. 'Dictionary of Symbolic & Mythological Animals', p. 24, J. Cooper, Thorsons, 1992 Within the city of Heliopolis, it was held that the Bennu bird actually lived within the benben-stone (the Sacred Obelisk) itself. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', p. 65, D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996 Because the Bennu bird lived within the benben-stone, the stone itself became known as the 'House of the Obelisk'. 'Gods of the Egyptians', p. 96-97, Budge, Dover, 1904 According to another legend, the Bennu bird lived in the 'Sacred Willow'. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', p. 65, D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996 According to the story that Greek historian Herodutus heard at Heliopolis, the Bennu bird visited 'The City of the Sun' only once every five hundred years, when it would die and be reborn. This would make the life-span of the Bennu only five hundred years. Other sources, however, have claimed that the Bennu lives for seven thousand and six years. 'Gods of the Egyptians', p. 96-97, Budge, Dover, 1904 Just prior to the return of the Bennu, the priests at Heliopolis were forewarned so that they could prepare the altar of the Sun Temple. There on the Temple altar, the Bennu built a funeral pyre of precious Arabian spices. Settling on the nest, the Bennu waited for the Sun to set the pyre aflame. Once lit, the Bennu would be consumed by the fire, and from the ashes would immediately be born a little worm that before the end of the day transformed itself into a new and 'fully vigorous Bennu'. 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 444, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 The Bennu was believed by the Egyptians to have come forth directly from the heart of Osiris himself. 'Gods of the Egyptians', p. 96-97, Budge, Dover, 1904 In later eras, the Egyptians believed that the Bennu bird was the sacred bird of Ra, the Sun God, and was believed to be the incarnation of the soul of Ra. It was also said that Venus as the 'Morning Star' rose in the form of the Bennu bird. 'Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary, An, Vols. I & II', p. 218a, Budge, Dover Publications, 1920 So closely were the two identified that in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, one prayer reveals: 'I go in like the Hawk, and I come forth like the Bennu, the Morning Star'. 'Gods of the Egyptians', p. 96-97, Budge, Dover, 1904 The name Bennu may be related to the Assyrian word 'banu', ('brilliant') which hints at the vivid color that the Greeks translated as 'foinix', ('crimsoned'), or from 'foinikes, ('the color crimson'). One Greek Hellenist scholar, Planche, translates 'foinix', as 'fire bird'. 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 442, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 The Egyptian word 'benu' means both purple heron (Ardea purpurea) and palm tree. 'Mythical and Fabulous Creatures', p. 62, M. South, Greenwood, 1987 The Bennu bird is said to have two forms, one as a bird, one as a half-man and half-bird being. At Koptos in Egypt, as at Anteopolis, the Bennu bird is provided with two human arms. In this rendering, the Bennu stretches them out toward the star Sothis ('Sirius'), which appears in the early sky before the sun rises. 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 444, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 'If this bird', says Herodotus, 'is like the portrait that has been drawn of it, its wings are part golden and part red, and the shape of its body is like the eagle's'. 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 445, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 One description says that the Bennu bird resembled an eagle and had wings of red feathersŠtipped in gold. 'Gods of the Egyptians', p. 96-97, Budge, Dover, 1904 The Bennu bird is known for the two distinct straight feathers that appear on the top of its head and a unique tuft of feathers on the back of its head. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996 Pliny, Plutarch, and Ausonius claim that Hesiod was the first to speak of the legend of the Bennu in the classical countries, where it was given the Greek name of 'foenix', or Phoenix. 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 444, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 In fact, 'bennu' in Egyptian and 'phoenix' in Greek both mean 'date palm'. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', p. 65, D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996 __________ THE PHOENIX This splendid and fabulous bird rose like the Sun at dawn from the waters of the Nile. 'Dictionary of Symbols', p. 752, J.B. Brown, Penguin, 1994 The Phoenix was a graceful bird, with brilliant plumage and like the Bennu had a distinctive tuft of feathers at the back of its head. There are at least three different descriptions of the plumage colors of the Phoenix. One says that the head, breast, and back are scarlet or reddish-gold, and the iridescent wings are many colors. Its feet are a Tyrian purple hue, while its eyes are sea-blue. Another says the body is plum-colored with a scarlet back and wing feathers, a golden head, and a long tail of rose and azure. The third description states that the Phoenix is a royal purple with a golden neck and head. It is possible that these descriptions are of the Phoenix in various stages of its life. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', p. 64, D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996 A fragment of a colorful mosaic from Old St. Peter's basilica in Rome, dates back to the late twelfth century. This rendition shows the Phoenix with gold and red wing feathers that are set off with white feathers. This depiction also shows the body covered in primarily blue feathers. 'Mythical and Fabulous Creatures', p. 65, M. South, Greenwood, 1987 An ancient manual of rites said of the Phoenix: 'Its colour delights the eye, its comb expresses righteousness, its tongue utters sincerity, its voice chants melody, its ear enjoys music, its heart conforms to regulations, its breast contains the treasures of literature and its spurs are powerful against transgressors'. 'Dictionary of Symbolic & Mythological Animals', p. 189-190, J.C. Cooper, Thorsons, 1992 The name Phoenix may have come from the Greek word 'phoinix' and may be related to the word 'phoinos', which means 'blood-red'. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', p. 63, D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996 In later eras, the Phoenix would be known as the Phenix in French, Phonix in German and Fenice in Italian. (This latter name clearly shows the linguistic link with the Morning Star, Venus.) 'Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning', p. 335, R. Allen, Dover, 1963 Pliny the Elder, attributing his information to Manilius, says of the Phoenix: 'No one has ever seen it eat. In Arabia it is dedicated to the sun, and it lives five hundred years; when it comes to the end of its life, it makes a nest of bits of cinnamon bark and of rosemary, fills it with perfumes, and dies upon it. From its bones and their marrow comes a worm which becomes a new Phoenix, whose first act is to arrange a worthy funeral; it carries the whole nest to the City of the Sun (Heliopolis), and places it on the altar there.' 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 445, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 While Pliny was told that the Phoenix lived for 500 years, other legends hold that the Phoenix lives 540, 1000, 1461, or even 12,994 years. 'Mythical and Fabulous Creatures', p. 59, M. South, Greenwood, 1987 Pomponius Mela, another historian wrote: 'The Phoenix is always alone, for it has neither father nor mother.' 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 445, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 This legend alone has given impetus to the idea that the Phoenix is intimately linked with Messiahs and Saviours like Jesus and Melchizedek in the Bible. Because the Phoenix has no mother or father, or any relations whatsoever, it is always the only one of its kind on earth at any given time. 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 446, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 Since the Phoenix is inextricably linked to fire, it should come as of no surprise that the legendary bird has become a symbol of fire. 'Dictionary of Symbols', p. 752, J.B. Brown, Penguin, 1994 The Phoenix, like the eagle and the falcon, was also closely connected with the sun . 'Dictionary of Symbols', p. 752, J.B. Brown, Penguin, 1994 In Mesopotamian art, the Phoenix was said to have been symbolized by the winged solar disk. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', p. 65, D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996' With its direct links to the Sun, the Phoenix was also associated with summer and the South. 'Dictionary of Symbols', p. 752, J.B. Brown, Penguin, 1994 With its links to flame and fire, it is also connected to the color red. 'Dictionary of Symbols', p. 752, J.B. Brown, Penguin, 1994 Because of its extraordinary powers of re-birth and regeneration, the Phoenix became a symbol of Life, Immortality and Resurrection to many cultures and societies, including the Christians. St. Clement of Rome (ca. AD 90-99), was the third successor to St. Peter as bishop of Rome. He was the first and most widely influential early Church father to use the Phoenix as an illustration for Christian teaching. 'Mythical and Fabulous Creatures', p. 63, M. South, Greenwood, 1987 (The fact that St. Clement really seems to believe the story of the Phoenix has given some later commentators on the Phoenix much trouble.) Tertullian (b. ca 150-160), in chapter 13 of his 'De resurrectione carnis' elaborates on the Phoenix myth and uses it to prove the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. 'Mythical and Fabulous Creatures', p. 63, M. South, Greenwood, 1987 The Romans also borrowed from the legend and used the Phoenix as a symbol representing rebirth. 'Dictionary of Symbolic & Mythological Animals', p. 190, J.C. Cooper, Thorsons, 1992 The ancient Mysteries used the sign of the Phoenix to symbolize life and the immortality of the human soul. 'Dictionary of Symbols', p. 752, J.B. Brown, Penguin, 1994 The Phoenix was also a symbol of the great truths of esoteric philosophies revealed only through special initiations. In some ancient Mystery Schools, accepted initiates were referred to as Phoenixes, or those who had been 'born again'. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', p. 65-66, D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996 In French heraldry, the Phoenix was and is one of the emblems of hope and was also a symbol of purity of conscience. 'Bestiary of Christ, The', p. 449, D.M. Dooling, Parabola, 1991 Since the Greek words for palm-tree and Phoenix are the same, (also Bennu in Egyptian) and because the palm-tree was said to die and rise again, the bird and the tree are often linked and can appear together. 'Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts', p. 65, D.J. Conway, Llewellyn, 1996 'Dictionary of Symbolic & Mythological Animals', p. 190, J.C. Cooper, Thorsons, 1992 The Phoenix, although unique, has had many epithets over the years. It has been called 'the bird of the sun', 'of incense', 'of fire', 'of second birth', 'of the Ganges', 'of Assyria', 'of Arabia', 'the long-lived bird', and 'the Egyptian bird'. 'Mythical and Fabulous Creatures', p. 60, M. South, Greenwood, 1987

See Also:

Source: