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Winged sun

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"Winged Sun of Thebes" from Egyptian Mythology and Egyptian Christianity by Samuel Sharpe (1863).

The winged sun is a symbol (sometimes known as Behedeti, a name of Horus) associated with divinity, royalty and power in the Ancient Near East (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Persia). The symbol has also been found in the records of ancient cultures residing in various regions of South America as well as Australia.

Ancient Near EastEdit

Ancient Egyptian use Edit

In ancient Egypt, the symbol is attested from the Old Kingdom (Sneferu, 26th century BCE), often flanked on either side with a uraeus. In early Egyptian religion, the symbol Behedeti represented Horus of Edfu, later identified with Ra-Harachte. It is sometimes depicted on the neck of Apis, the bull of Ptah. As time passed (according to interpretation) all of the subordinated gods of Egypt were considered to be aspects of the sun god.

The winged sun is symbolic also of the eternal soul. When placed above the temple doors it served as a reminder to the people of their eternal nature.

Mesopotamia and the Levant Edit

From roughly 2000 BCE, the symbol spread to the Levant and to Mesopotamia. It appears in reliefs with Assyrian rulers and in Hieroglyphic Anatolian as a symbol for royalty, transcribed as SOL SUUS (literally, "his own self, the Sun", i.e., "His Majesty")

Hebrew Edit




Zoroastrianism Edit




Modern useEdit




External linksEdit

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original article was at Winged sun. The list of authors can be seen in the page history.

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