From The Alpha and the Omega - Volume III
by Jim A. Cornwell, Copyright © July 20, 2002, all rights reserved "Volume III - Gods/Goddesses of Ancient Egypt"

MONTU (Mentjew, Mont, Month, Menthu, Mentu)

To return to the Bootes Decan (bull-headed human holding a hoe, as the star Arcturus), or List of Netjeru.

    Montu was the falcon-headed god of war.    From the beginning he was worshipped at Hermonthis, but in the Eleventh Dynasty he was brought to Thebes, where he soon was overtaken by Amun as the royal deity, and later dropped in favor of Khons, the lunar god.
    Montu was depicted with a falcon's head crowned with the solar disc surrounded by two tall plumes.    He fought the enemies of the gods and defended his father Re against his enemies.    His sacred animal was a white bull with a black face, which was regarded as his manifestation and buried with full honors at death.    He could incarnate himself in the bull (heat and power of the sun) called Buchis, kept in the shrine at Hermonthis.    He was sometimes portrayed as a bull-headed man.
    As to whether Montu could be seen as Bootes, who some claim is a bull-headed human holding a hoe, and accepted as the star Arcturus is uncertain.
    He was worshipped at Djerty/Tuphium/Tod.    Other sites were Iuny/Hermonthis/Armant, Wast/Diospolis Magna/Thebes/Luxor.

---

    This file was created on June 18, 2005.

Return to the Table of Contents or the Zodiac of Denderah