Khonsu
In honor of tonight's full moon, I wanted to choose a deity who is related to the lunar things in life. 😉
Khonsu - God of the Moon ~ Protector & Healer
There are plenty of goddesses associated with the moon in all types of mythologies, but have you ever heard of the Egyptian god Khonsu? I am sure you have seen him, probably more times than you even realize. He is usually depicted in a variety of ways, but most commonly with a moon on his head as a crown! He was known as god of the moon, a protection god and a healer to the ancient people in both Upper and Lower Egypt. He is also sometimes seen with a "side-lock" - a braid on the side of his head which is known to symbolize youth and being a descendant of the God Osiris.
Khonsu is sometimes associated with the darker side of the moon and was called upon to help travelers through their paths into the unknown. With the moon atop his head he would light the way and that is how he became known as god of the moon and why people looked to him from protection. Khonsu's was discovered as a healing deity for the Ancient Egyptians on a stele that was discovered in his temple. This stele is currently on display in Paris at the Louvre Museum. In other parts of history, Khonsu is noted as a cruel and gruesome god who actually would take powers from other gods in the most horrific of ways.
Khonsu had a temple in Karnak, and during the feast of the Opet he was honored. Opet is an ancient Egyptian festival celebrated once per year in Thebes and is dedicated to the Theban Triad (Amun, Mut and their child, Khonsu). The Karnak temple was constructed during the 20th Dynasty (12th -11th century BC) and some say it is the largest religious building EVER constructed.
Khonsu - God of the Moon ~ Protector & Healer
There are plenty of goddesses associated with the moon in all types of mythologies, but have you ever heard of the Egyptian god Khonsu? I am sure you have seen him, probably more times than you even realize. He is usually depicted in a variety of ways, but most commonly with a moon on his head as a crown! He was known as god of the moon, a protection god and a healer to the ancient people in both Upper and Lower Egypt. He is also sometimes seen with a "side-lock" - a braid on the side of his head which is known to symbolize youth and being a descendant of the God Osiris.
Khonsu is sometimes associated with the darker side of the moon and was called upon to help travelers through their paths into the unknown. With the moon atop his head he would light the way and that is how he became known as god of the moon and why people looked to him from protection. Khonsu's was discovered as a healing deity for the Ancient Egyptians on a stele that was discovered in his temple. This stele is currently on display in Paris at the Louvre Museum. In other parts of history, Khonsu is noted as a cruel and gruesome god who actually would take powers from other gods in the most horrific of ways.
Khonsu had a temple in Karnak, and during the feast of the Opet he was honored. Opet is an ancient Egyptian festival celebrated once per year in Thebes and is dedicated to the Theban Triad (Amun, Mut and their child, Khonsu). The Karnak temple was constructed during the 20th Dynasty (12th -11th century BC) and some say it is the largest religious building EVER constructed.