And these say that he comes regularly when his father dies and if he be like the painting he is of this size and nature, that is to say, some of his feathers are of gold color and others red, and in outline and size he is as nearly as possible like an eagle. In the 5th century BC, after visiting Egypt, the Greek historian and writer Herodotus described learning about a phoenix-like bird from the Egyptians: “There is also another sacred bird called the phoenix, which I did not myself see except in painting, for in truth he comes to them very rarely, at intervals, as the people of Heliopolis say, of five hundred years. While the origins of the phoenix may forever remain a mystery, here are some of the stories about this magical bird in various cultures: The Phoenix, or Bennu, in Ancient Egypt Egyptian papyrus featuring the phoenix-like bird god Bennu. However, historians believe the phoenix was inspired by an Egyptian avian deity named Bennu or the mythical Persian bird called the simurgh. These mythical birds may have common or totally separate roots. Phoenix MythologyĪ number of cultures have stories about phoenix-life birds. According to the legend, the phoenix possesses so much power that his tears heal anything they touch and his ashes can bring the dead to life. Next, he flies to Heliopolis, Egypt and delivers the egg to the Temple of the Sun, which honors the solar god Ra. He then collects the ashes, rolling them into an egg wrapped in myrrh. Thus, as the saying goes, the phoenix rises from the ashes. The magic of the phoenix is that as soon as he perishes in the flames, he is born again in his nest. Then, he flaps his wings like a bellows, setting his nest and then himself on fire. The phoenix then strikes his beak against a rock, which sparks flames. The nest is made with aromatic plants, such as myrrh, cassia, sage, frankincense, and cinnamon. When he is nearing the end of his life, he makes a nest for himself. The Story of the PhoenixĪs the legend goes, the Phoenix is a one-of-a-kind bird that lives for 500 years. 2 So, the name for the bird may be attributed to the description of its colorful feathers. The Phoenicians were known for making a coveted purple-red dye. The word phoinix in Greek refers to a purple-red color. 1 Etymology of the Name PhoenixĮtymologists believe the name phoenix shares roots with the name for the ancient people of the Mediterranean called the Phoenicians. They believe the bird went extinct around 1500 BC. In fact, archaeologists discovered the remains of a massive heron that was as tall as a human being in United Arab Emirates. While the phoenix was not an actual species of living bird, historians believe it was inspired by historical real birds including the eagle, hawk, crane, flamingo, or peacock. Furthermore, the phoenix is described as a bird of prey who is larger than an eagle but also resembles a peacock or a crane. In addition, it is often described as having a long tail and a crest of feathers on its head that are silver and blue. The phoenix is as a large bird that has flame-colored purple, orange, and gold feathers and a crimson-red breast.
However, other cultures, including the Greeks, Chinese, Hindus, and others, have similar stories about supernatural birds. What is a phoenix? Ornament from a book of typographic specimens, Harpel’s Typograph, 1870.Ī phoenix is a mythical bird that likely originated in ancient Egypt or the Middle East. How the City of Phoenix, Arizona Got Its Name.Phoenix Meanings in Judaism and Christianity.
The Phoenix, or Bennu, in Ancient Egypt.
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