The last stage

Much has been discussed, and the image of the phoenix bird is widely recognized as the mythological creature that is reborn from its ashes in a perpetual cycle of rebirth. Yet, the origins and symbolism of this creature are not commonly known. To understand its beginnings, one must look to Kemet, known today as ancient Egypt, where a truly unique bird, the Benu bird, was venerated. This avian was intimately linked to the cycle of the underworld or Duat, embodying the 'ba', or soul, of deities such as Ra or Osiris (Usir). The name 'Benu' itself derives from a verb meaning 'to rise'. Legend holds that at the moment of creation, this bird alighted upon a rock amidst the primordial waters and let out a call that shattered the original silence, defining what would come into being. When Greek travelers reached Egypt, Herodotus recorded a variation of this myth. He described the bird as having a lifespan of five hundred years. At the end of its life, it would c...