In early Egyptian religion, the symbol Behdety represented HorusofEdfu, later identified with Ra-Horakhty. 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, including Khepri. The name "Behdety" means the inhabitant of Behdet.[1]
He was the sky god of the region called Behdet in the Nile basin.[2]
His image was first found in the inscription on a comb's body, as a winged solar panel. The period of the comb is about 3000 BC. Such winged solar panels were later found in the funeral picture of Pharaoh Sahure of the fifth dynasty. Behdety is seen as the protector of Pharaoh. On both sides of his picture are seen the Uraeus, which is a symbol for the cobra-headed goddess Wadjet.[2]
He resisted the intense heat of Egyptian sun with his two wings.[2]
The winged sun on the ceiling to the entrance to the temple of Ramses III
Heru-Behdeti ("Horus of Behedet") as a winged sun disk on the cornice of a pylon at the temple of Edfu
The winged sun over the temple of Kom Ombo
Relief of the winged sun in the temple of Hathor
The winged sun in the Dendera Hathor Temple Complex
Male figure in an Assyrian winged sun emblem (Northwest Palace of Nimrud, Nineveh 9th century BC; British Museum room B, panel 23). This iconography later gave rise to the Faravahar symbol of Zoroastrianism.
Stele to Assurnasiripal II at Nimrud (9th century BC), detail showing the winged sun.
From roughly 2000 BCE, the symbol also appears in Mesopotamia. It appears in reliefs with Assyrian rulers as a symbol for royalty, transcribed into LatinasSOL SUUS (literally, "his own self, the Sun", i.e. "His Majesty").[citation needed]
InZoroastrianPersia, the symbol of the winged sun became part of the iconography of the Faravahar, the symbol of the divine power and royal glory in Persian culture.[citation needed]
From around the 8th century BC, the winged solar disk appears on Hebrew seals connected to the royal house of the Kingdom of Judah. Many of these are seals and jar handles from Hezekiah's reign, together with the inscription l'melekh ("belonging to the king").[3] Typically, Hezekiah's royal seals feature two downward-pointing wings and six rays emanating from the central sun disk, and some are flanked on either side with the Egyptian ankh ("key of life") symbol.[3] Prior to this, there are examples from the seals of servants of king Ahaz and of king Uzziah.[4]
Compare also Malachi 4:2, referring to a winged "Sun of righteousness",
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings...
Since WW2, military aircraft of the United States have carried the insignia of a circle with stripes extending from each side like wings. Whether this is coincidental or some symbolic resemblance was intended is unknown. A five-pointed star is inscribed within the circle.
Regarding its video game usage, the symbol has become a common motif in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, most notably featured on title screens displaying the main character, as well as a stylized version appearing as a symbol for religious mechanics and buildings in Civilization VI, among others.
Media related to Winged sun at Wikimedia Commons
