Khnum in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to learn about the god 𓊹 “Khnum 𓎸𓁠!”

Khnum 𓎸𓁠 is one of the oldest Egyptian deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹. The evidence of worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 for Khnum 𓎸𓏏𓀭 dates back to the First Dynasty and he was worshipped until the early centuries CE.

Khnum 𓎸𓅓𓀭 is the god 𓊹 of the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 and fertility. While there are other deities that are also gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 of the Nile (Hapi 𓎛𓂝𓊪𓏭𓈘) and fertility (Min 𓋊𓊾), many Egyptian gods had many different roles and Khnum 𓎸𓁠 happens to be one of the most ancient. The Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 gives life 𓋹 to Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, hence why gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 of the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 were usually also associated with fertility. 

In the creation myth, Khnum 𓎸𓀭 is said to have created all of the world’s people on his potter’s wheel. He is associated with Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱, who created the heavens 𓊪𓏏𓇯 and Earth 𓇾𓇾 on a potter’s wheel. 

Khnum 𓎸𓅓𓀭 is usually represented as a person with a ram head. I love how his name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs incorporates a pot since Khnum created people on his potter’s wheel! I don’t know if it was intentional but it’s still really cool! 

There are many different ways to write Khnum 𓎸𓅓𓁠 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here are some of the common ways: 

𓎸𓁠 (can you spot this one in the picture?)

𓎸𓀭

𓎸𓏏𓀭

𓎸𓏏𓁠

𓎸𓅓𓀭

𓎸𓅓𓁠

𓎸𓃝

Let’s break down the Khnum’s name 𓂋𓈖! 

The “stone jug 𓎸” is a triliteral phonogram that is associated with the sound “ẖnm” which would be pronounced like “Khnum.” 

Whenever the 𓏏 or the 𓅓 follow the stone jug in Khnum’s name, they are acting as phonetic complements and would not be pronounced. The determinatives at the end of the name can also change between the “seated god 𓀭” and the “ram headed 𓁠” symbol. The “ram 𓃝” can also be used as a determinative.

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!