Khonsu: The God of the Moon and Protector of Night Travelers

Khonsu was the Egyptian god of the moon whose responsibilities included lighting the sky at night and keeping night travelers safe. His adherents invoked him to help them conceive and to heal their sicknesses.

Also referred to as Khonshu or Khensu, his name translates into “traveler.”

Discover the family, worship, attributes and symbols of the Egyptian god Khonsu.

Who Is Khonsu in Egyptian Mythology?

Khonsu is an ancient deity who started out with a bad myth but changed to become a protector and the god of the moon. In the Old Kingdom, Khonsu was a terrifying and dangerous deity who was known to be bloodthirsty. The people believed that this deity ate the hearts of deified kings.

However, by the era of the New Kingdom, his myth had changed from a terrifying deity to a benevolent god. He became known as the protector and pathfinder of all who journeyed through the night.

According to Egyptian mythology, Khonsu aided in the creation of life and all living things. He helped Thoth, the god of Wisdom, to create time. His followers prayed to him for safety against wild animals during the night. He was also the representation of the crescent moon and was responsible for night light.

The Family of Khonsu

The father of the moon god was Amun, the god of the air, and his mother was Mut, the sky goddess. There are no records of Khonsu’s wife or children.

The Roles of Khonsu

As already stated, Khonsu was a moon deity so he was responsible for the light during the nighttime. His name, which meant “traveler,” denoted the journey of the sun through the sky until the break of dawn. Khonsu warded off evil spirits during the night, and that earned him the title “Protector”. Khonsu was also in charge of the fertility of women.

This was because the ancient Egyptians associated the cycle of the moon with the menstrual cycle. Thus, women who were unable to conceive prayed to him to come to their aid. However, Khonsu’s role as the fertility god was not limited to only women. He was responsible for the fertility of cattle as well.

Interestingly, the moon deity was also associated with fresh air. His roles included guiding travelers who had lost their route, hence his nickname the “Pathfinder.” The ancient Egyptians thought of Khonsu as a benevolent god who helped to heal and comfort the sick, so they gave him the title “Embracer” to denote his love and care.

The Healer

As a healer, Khonsu was well known throughout the land of Egypt and beyond. Records told of how people in foreign lands experienced his divine healing when they called on him. A typical example is a stele which details how an image of the deity healed a princess. According to the stele, the princess received her healing immediately as soon as she set her eyes on the god’s image.

Legend also tells of how the moon god healed Ptolemy IV of an illness. Once he was healed, the king declared himself a firm believer of the deity. He then christened himself “Beloved of Khonsu Who Protects His Majesty and Drives Away Evil Spirits.” Khonsu was made the patron deity of the doctors and healers of Egypt.

Role in Creation

Existing records at the temple of Karnak show Khonsu as the serpent who fertilized the Cosmic Egg from which creation burst forth. He also helped the creator god, Ptah, in creating time and seasons.

The Depictions of Khonsu

In ancient Egyptian paintings and sculptures, Khonsu was depicted in his human form as a child of Amun and Mut with a divine beard. He carried the moon disk on his head to symbolize his power over it. His skin was painted green to symbolize his role as the god of fertility, and he was covered in a white shroud from his neck to his toes.

He wore an aegis, a symbol of power and dominion, over around his neck to his bust. He wore braided hair with a lock at the end and is seen either holding the pillar of Djed or the Was scepter. Some paintings of Khonsu also show him with the head of a falcon carrying the moon disk.

In those paintings, he was depicted wearing a skirt and holding the Was scepter in his right hand and the ankh key in his left. His skin was painted brown instead of green. Some depictions also have Khonsu standing on the back of a crocodile, and sometimes he is shown in the company of his parents.

Other Depictions

In some paintings, Khonsu was shown carrying the sun disk instead of the moon disk. Around the sun disk was the cobra symbol of the goddess Wadjet, the protector of Lower Egypt. Sometimes he was depicted playing a game called senet, as he was known to enjoy playing games.

The Symbols of Khonsu and Their Meanings

Khonsu had many symbols and each had its own meaning. For example, a Khonsu statue could feature the deity spotting a curved lock of hair on the side of his face. This was to depict him as a youthful deity, and his curved beard indicated he was divine.

Here are some of the symbols associated with Khonsu and what they signify.

The Flail

Khonsu was usually depicted with a flail, which was symbolic of his role as a ruler of Egypt. Ancient Egyptian pharaohs held a flail with three ropes of beads which represented the powers to reward or punish. It was a sign of authority that the pharaoh wielded and was also a symbol of protection. So Khonsu’s flail was to show his power and dominion over nightlife and the protection of night travelers.

The Crook

Together with the flail, Khonsu also held the crook. The crook was a staff the ancient Egyptian shepherds used to both control and protect their sheep. The pharaohs wielded the crook to symbolize their roles as guides and protectors of their people. Khonsu held the crook to show his responsibility in guiding travelers and protecting them from wild animals.

The Crescent Moon

Some images of Khonsu showed him carrying the moon. Obviously, this was just to indicate his role as the moon god. Also, since the moon marked the passage of time, it indicated his role in the creation of the universe. As the god of the moon, it was his power that caused the moon to shine.

The Falcon Head

Sometimes the Egyptians represented Khonsu with the body of a man and the head of a falcon, signifying his role as protector of Egypt. Falcons were greatly admired by the Egyptians for their speed and strength. Therefore, they represented some gods with the head of a falcon to indicate their strength in keeping their adherents safe.

The Was Scepter

The Was scepter was a staff that was wielded by the kings of Egypt which symbolizes power and dominion. Depicting Khonsu with the Was scepter showed his status as the god of the moon. Khonsu was normally depicted holding the Was scepter, flail and hook to show his great power and authority.

The Uraeus

Other depictions of Khonsu showed him carrying the sun disk circled by the Uraeus. The Uraeus was an image of a cobra that represented royalty, authority and power, so the symbol of the Uraeus was to depict Khonsu as a royal deity and one who wielded divine authority.

However, the Uraeus was also the main depiction of the goddess Wadjet, the goddess of Lower Egypt.

The Ankh

The moon god also held the key of life known in the ancient Egyptian language as ankh. The ankh was a symbol of life and was used by most Egyptian deities. The Egyptians placed the ankh in the coffin of the dead to ensure resurrection. However, most deities held the ankh to indicate their power and immortality.

The Djed Pillar

The Djed pillar was also known as the spine of Osiris and it was the symbol for stability. Ancient Egyptians believed that the Djed kept Osiris alive after his brother, Set, tried to kill him. Although it is a symbol of stability, it also assured the ancient Egyptians of Khonsu’s journey with them through the night. It assured them of his protection as they walked through life.

The Temple and Worship of Khonsu

The temple of Khonsu is one of the most well-preserved temples of ancient Egypt. It is currently located on the premises of a collection of temples at Karnak in Egypt. The temple was built by Rameses III during the era of the New Kingdom. During the Ptolemaic period, a fence wall was built to protect the temple and a huge gateway was added.

However, the wall is no more, leaving only the gateway standing. Leading to the temple are statues of sphinxes lining up the gateway. The temple contains several reliefs of Khonsu and inscriptions detailing the works carried out on the temple. The Pyramid Texts reveal that Khonsu was not regarded as a major god until the New Kingdom, where he was addressed as the “Greatest God of the Great Gods.”

Khonsu was worshiped in Thebes alongside Amun and Mut, where they formed a triad during the era of the New Kingdom. His followers thought of him as a kind-hearted and gracious deity. Other major cult centers included Hibis, Edfu and Memphis. The ancient Egyptians associated him with other powerful gods such as Horus, Ra and Shu.

Summary

Through this article, we learned all about the roles, depictions and symbols of the moon god, Khonsu. Here is a recap of what we’ve read so far:

• Khonsu was a moon god of the ancient Egyptian pantheon.

• Initially, his followers thought of him as a violent and blood-thirsty god.

• However, during the New Kingdom, this violent image of him changed to a benevolent and gracious deity.

• He was the god of the night light and he guided travelers during their night journeys.

• Khonsu was also a healer whose healing powers were felt far and wide.

• In his human form, he was depicted as a young man wearing a shroud and carrying the moon disk.

• As a god, he had the head of a falcon, which represented his strength and power.

Khonsu was the representation of the crescent moon, where he was considered to be a mighty bull. However, when the moon was full, his adherents thought of him as a neutered bull.