- The Phoenix is a Bird in Greek Mythology that is reborn from the ashes of its predecessor.
- It had a long life, and according to some legends, it lived to be 1400 years old before dying by fire and being reborn.
History
- The word comes from Greek, and is similar to Phoinike, the Greek word for Phoenician which meant the ‘purple people’ (from the purple dye they made from Murex).
- The Phoenix became one of the Early Christian Symbols and indicated rebirth in Early Christianity.
The Temple of Ra at Heliopolis
- In Ancient Egypt, a similar bird known as the ‘Benu’, was worshipped.
- The bird was believed to live on the sacred Benben Stone in the Temple of Ra at Heliopolis.
Description
- Herodotus describes the Phoenix as being a red and yellow colour, and approximately the same size as an eagle.
- Pliny the Elder describes it as having a crest of feathers, whilst early pictures show it with a disc of seven rays, like the Sun God Helios in Greek Mythology.
- The Medieval Period describes the Phoenix as a Royal Bird, because it was thought to have purple feathers.
Sources
- Herodotus, Pliny the Elder, Ovid and Lactantius all wrote about the Phoenix.
The Obelisk from the Temple of Ra-Atum, Heliopolis