Tag: khonsu

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Egyptian Artifacts

Khonsu

Let’s talk about Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€―!

The god π“ŠΉ Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― is definitely getting some media attention due to Moon Knight! While this gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ pendant may look like Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 at quick glance, this is actually the god π“ŠΉ Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€―! When they are both in their falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„ form, they might be mistaken with each other, especially since Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 is represented with the sun disk 𓇳𓏺 on his head 𓁢𓏺, while Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― is represented with the moon π“‡‹π“‚π“Ž›π“‡Ή on his head 𓁢𓏺 – since both are circles, they do look similar!

Khonsu’s π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― role in the pantheon has changed throughout time, and he was quite the bloodthirsty god π“ŠΉ in the Pyramid Texts, however in the New Kingdom he was a more peaceful god π“ŠΉ of the moon π“‡‹π“‚π“Ž›π“‡Ή. He was considered to be the son π“…­ of Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ and Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭, and together the three of them made up the Theban triad.

While Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― does take the form of a falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„, he is usually represented as a man π“Šƒπ“€€π“€ wrapped in mummy bandages and wearing a crescent 𓇹 shaped necklace! He can also be depicted with his hands/arms 𓂝𓏦 restrained. That representation sounds familiar, doesn’t it?! The anthropomorphic form of Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― definitely inspired parts of the Moon Knight comics and tv show!

The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– β€œKhonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€―β€œ is thought to come from the verb β€œto traverse” and it means β€œhe who traverses (the sky).” This piece is dated to the 19th-20th Dynasties (c. 1295–1070 B.C.E).