THE SOLAR (ECLIPSE) GODS
OF
ANCIENT EGYPT
PART II
THE BIRD OF LIGHT
INTRODUCTION
In Part I of this series I have shown that the primal gods Atum and Re were respectively the Sun at the second and the third contact of a total solar eclipse. In this part we meet the most celebrated statue in the world, the Great Sphinx.
In most text books on Egyptology, we find that the Sun god Horakhty has been defined as 'Horus of the Horizon'. In this study I show that this is grossly wrong. In this part we shall see that the ancient Egyptians were probably the only culture to devise a mythological god and goddess for solar eclipses. I also try to find out why should Horakhty be represented as a hawk in the Egyptian mythology.
THE ILLUMINATED SPOT!
I have demonstrated that the Egyptian hieroglyph 'akhet' stands for 'solar eclipse', and not 'horizon'. Thus, the term "Akhet net Pet", which has been misinterpreted as 'Horizon of Heaven', means 'solar eclipse'. And, the term akhet which has been misinterpreted as 'horizon', either means 'solar eclipse', 'temple', 'pyramid', or 'tomb', depending on the text in which it occurs. Thus, Akhet is the 'illuminated' spot that received the first beams of light at the birth of the Sun god.
Consequently, I have shown that the misinterpreted terms "Eastern Horizon of the Sky" and "Western Horizon of the Sky", are the western and eastern lunar limbs respectively. I have shown also that the "Mountain of East" is the western lunar limb and the "Mountain of West" is the eastern lunar limb. In the coming texts, please replace "the Horizon of Heaven" and "Horizon" by 'eclipse'. If you have not read it before, I recommend to have a look at my study:
Aymen Ibrahem, Egyptian Cosmology, Part VII, Karnak the Horizon of Heaven, 2000. It is available on the web at: http://members.aol.com/KCStarguy/blacksun/egyptianeclipse.htm
HOR OF THE ECLIPSE
In two earlier studies (The Alignment of the Sphinx, and Horakhty the Lord of Eclipses), I have made several amazing discoveries about the mighty Giza Sphinx, of which: The east-west alignment of the Sphinx was dictated by the solar eclipse of 10/18/-2454 (Jul.).
The Sphinx was the Egyptian lord of solar eclipses! Its name 'Horemakhet' means literally 'Hor in the Eclipse'.
The AEs performed a especial cult at the Sphinx's temple in response to solar eclipses, particularly presenting offerings and probably the pilgrimage trips made by the pharaohs (e.g., those of King Seti I (1294-1279 BC and King Amenhotep II (1427-1396 BC).
If you have not read the studies yet, I recommend to read my article 'His Majesty the Great Sphinx' available at the Forum of Akhet Egyptology at: http://www.akhet.co.uk/index.htm
THE BIRD OF LIGHT
Why did the AEs depict the Horakhty as a hawk? Is it only pure imagination?
I find it a bit strange to liken the Sun to hawk. I do have some possible
explanations:
I believe the last solution is the most likely. This is evidenced
by the following texts:
I have shown that the Memphite tomb of King Horemheb incorporates a solar eclipse record, the texts praise Atum the eclipsed Sun, and Horakhty the reappearing Sun.
Adoration of Re,
pacifying him when he shines forth . . .
Hail to you,
the luminous, the sharp,
Atum-Horakhty, as you are risen in the horizon of the sky,
praises to you are in everyone's mouth,
the perfect, the young one in the Aten within the arm of your mother
Hathor.
(Source: S. Quirke, Ancient Egyptian Religion, p. 45, The British Museum Press, 1992.)
Adoration of Horakhty when rises in his horizon,
who gives beauty to the whole land,
(Source: W. Murnane, Texts from the Amarna Period in Egypt, Scholars Press, 1995.)
The above text thus informs that Horakhty is a luminous being that appears after totality.
Hail to you,
O Horus of the Two Horizons,
Khepri that is, who come to be by himself.
How beautiful is your rising from the Horizon
to illuminate the Two Lands with your sunlight,
with all the gods rejoicing
when they see you as king of the heavens.
(Source: J Foster, Hymns, Prayers and Songs, p. 91, Scholars Press, 1995.)
Thus, the partially eclipsed Sun was envisaged by the AEs as a luminous falcon who brings light after the darkness of totality.
Also, according to my interpretation of akhet, the solar hymn at the Tomb of Kheruef describes a solar eclipse, of which a description of the partially eclipsed Sun as a falcon:
Handsome youth who Ptah created,
distinguished above all the gods,
You came forth as the falcon,
(Source: J Foster, Hymns, Prayers and Songs, p. 47, Scholars Press, 1995.)
The text is an explicit definition identifying the partially eclipsed Sun (past the shadow bands phase) as a spectacular falcon!
OVER THE TOP!
I have shown that the mountains of sunrise and sunset, Bakhu and Manu, are respectively the western and eastern lunar limbs seen through a total solar eclipse. The hawks live on the top. It is thus more appropriate to conceive of a hawk dwelling on a mountain's peak, rather than on the horizon. This is an extra proof for the fallacy of the interpretation of the hieroglyph akhet as 'horizon', and enhances my view that akhet means eclipse, and I introduce it as a further explanation why should Horakhty be a hawk . . . The AEs were inspired to believe in a hawk of light living on the top of the mountain of sunrise, i.e., the partially eclipsed Sun shining on the western lunar limb.
A contemporary Arab poet said:
Be like hawks on the peaks,
Listening to the whispering Moon!
WHO IS RE-HORAKHTY?
Having interpreted Re as the Diamond Ring, it is possible now to conceive Re-Horakhty as the successive appearance of the Diamond Ring (Re), then the hawk of light (the partially eclipsed Sun).
Gleaming from the Horizon of the Sky,
you suffuse the Two Lands with turquoise.
This is Re-Horakhty the divine youth,
Heir of Eternity,
who begot himself and bore himself.
(Source: J. Foster, Hymns, Prayers, and Songs, p. 87, Scholars Press, 1995.)
This is an extra proof for the fallacy of the interpretation of Re-Horakhty as the Sun in the morning.
THE FATHER OF SILENCE!
I am pleased, and honored that His Majesty the Great Sphinx, the father of silence and master of tranquillity, spoke to me. Probably I am the first human to hear his voice. He told me:
I am Horakhty, the brilliant hawk who soars past eclipses! Nearly 5000 years ago, and on the equinox day, the Sun rose to find me at the eastern flank of Stepet (the Giza Plateau). When she saw my charming face, her rays withdrew back to heaven . . . I smiled . . . she felt shy, and hid behind the black disc of the New Moon!
Now, at last, we know why does the Big Cat smile!
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
In the light of the Egyptian texts, I believe Horakhty as a hawk was a manifestation of the Sun through eclipses, namely, the partially eclipsed Sun past the shadow bands phase.
The text on the base of the standing obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BC) at Karnak represents to me an enlightenment! The text has helped me to decipher the way the ancient Egyptians described solar eclipse, and to discover the Egyptian hieroglyph for 'solar eclipse'. Then it became easy for me to find many ancient Egyptian solar eclipse records. A surprising discovery was the Great Hymn to Aten describes a total solar eclipse [Aymen Ibrahem, www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt2.htm]. This has paved the way to me to obtain an absolute, eclipse-based New Kingdom and Hittite chronologies.
The author uses his eclipse-based New Kingdom and Old Kingdom chronologies, in which Year 9 of King Amenhotep I = 1517 BC, Year 15 of Queen Hatshepsut = 1464 BC, Year 4 of King Akhenaten = 1352 BC, Year 9 of King Seti I = 1285 BC, Year 8 of King Ramesses the Great = 1271 BC. Also, the author has demonstrated that the advent of Dynasty IV was in 2625 BC, with an error of a few years due to the uncertainties of the lengths of some of the reigns of the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom. Also, a margin of error of only a few years exists in the dates of Dynasty XXI (1070-945 BC).
The author's related studies are:
1. The Dream that Has Come True, Part I, An
Eclipse-Based New Kingdom Chronology,
www.jas.org.jo/article.html, JAS, 2000.
2. The Dream that Has Come True, Part II, An
Eclipse-Based Hittite Chronology,
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt4.htm, 2000.
3. The Dream that Has Come True, Part III,
An Eclipse-Based Old Kingdom Chronology,
SEML, 2000.
Also, the Middle Kingdom and the dates of the Late Period are exact
and available in most text books.
Dr Eric Flescher (KCStarguy@aol.com) has kindly established an archive, which includes many of the author's work, at his website at:
http://members.aol.com/KCStarguy/blacksun/egyptianeclipse.htm
Also, more of my studies are available at [please have a look at each]:
www.infis.org/aymenibr.htm
www.jas.org.jo/article.html
www.vhs.gilching.de/phorum/
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt1.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt2.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt3.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt4.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt5.htm
www.eclipse-chasers.com/akhet.html
The archives (on the web) of the Solar Eclipse Mailing List at:
www.hydra.carleton.ca/pipermail/eclipse/
www.akhet.co.uk/index.htm
Guardian's 'Discuss Egypt' under the topic 'Egypt News' at: www.guardians.net/
REFERENCES
1. Mark Lehner, The Complete Pyramids, The
AUS Press, 1997.
2. Ian Shaw and Paul Nicholson, The British
Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt, p. 43, The AUC Press, 1995.
3. Snow, The Dynamic Universe, West Publishing
Co., 1985.
4. Margaret Bunson, The Dictionary of Ancient
Egypt, Oxford University Press, 1991.
5. J. P. Arnold, Night Sky Photography, George,
Phillip, 1988.