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28-558: The ruined Temple of Hermonthis (sometimes Temple of Monthu) sits in the middle of the modern town. The Ancient Egyptian name for the city meant "the Heliopolis of Montu ", an Egyptian god whose root of name means "nomad". Montu was associated with raging bulls, strength and war. He was also said to manifest himself in a white bull with a black face, which was referred to as the Bakha . Egypt's greatest general-kings called themselves Mighty Bulls,

56-616: A sacred enclosure to Montu. Another temple had been dedicated to him at the little-known fortress of Uronarti (near the Second Cataract of the Nile , specifically to the south of it) during the Middle Kingdom. Buchis B C D F G H I K M N P Q R S T U W In Egyptian mythology , Buchis ( Ancient Greek : Βουχις , Coptic : ⲃⲱⲱϩ, ⲃⲟϩ ) (also spelt Bakh and Bakha )

84-720: A war chariot , commenting that he had the skill and strength of Montu. The latter's grandson, Amenhotep III the Magnificent (c.1388–1350 BC), called himself "Montu of the Rulers" in spite of his own peaceful reign. In the narrative of the Battle of Kadesh (c. 1274 BC), Ramesses II the Great — who proudly called himself "Montu of the Two Lands " — was said to have seen the enemy and "raged at them like Montu, Lord of Thebes". [...] his majesty passed

112-516: A spear in a classic pugnacious pose. A ceremonial battle ax, belonging to the funeral kit of Queen Ahhotep II , Great Royal Wife of the warlike pharaoh Kamose (c. 1555–1550 BC), who lived between the 17th and 18th Dynasty , represents Montu as a proud winged griffin : an iconography clearly influenced by the same Syriac origin which inspired Minoan art . Egypt's greatest general-kings called themselves "Mighty Bull", "Son Of Montu", "Montu Is with His Strong/Right Arm" ( Montuherkhepeshef : which

140-650: A special cemetery known as the Bucheum . Unlike the other Egyptian sacred bulls – the Apis and the Mnevis – the Buchis cult started towards the end of the pharaonic period, with the earliest known burial taking place in regnal year 14 of Nectanebo II (mid 4th century BC). However, four different bull cults dedicated to Montu were known in earlier times in Upper Egypt , and it seems that

168-510: A temple to the north and a temple to the south (houses of the priests). It was built in raw bricks, while the innermost cella of the deity was built of carved stone. The templar complex of Medamud underwent important restorations and renovations during the New Kingdom , and in the Ptolemaic and Roman period . At Armant , the ancient Iuni, there was an impressive Temple of Montu at least since

196-410: A warrior, and eventually becoming a widely revered war-god. The Egyptians thought that Montu would attack the enemies of Maat (that is, of the truth , of the cosmic order) while inspiring, at the same time, glorious warlike exploits. It is possible that Montu-Ra and Atum-Ra symbolized the two kingships, respectively, of Upper and Lower Egypt . When linked with Horus , Montu's epithet was "Horus of

224-411: Is often realized as Mont , Monthu , Montju , Ment or Menthu . B C D F G H I K M N P Q R S T U W A very ancient god, Montu was originally a manifestation of the scorching effect of Ra , the sun – and as such often appeared under the epithet Montu-Ra . The destructiveness of this characteristic led to him gaining characteristics of

252-682: The Twelfth dynasty and during the New Kingdom . Destroyed during the Late Period , a new temple was started in the reign of Nectanebo II and was continued by the Ptolemies . Cleopatra VII and Ptolemy XV Caesarion added a birth house with a sacred lake . The building remained visible until the nineteenth century, when it was recycled to build a sugar factory. Only the remains of the pylon of Thutmose III are visible today. Two gates, one of them built by Antoninus Pius , have also been found. The Bucheum ,

280-507: The fortress of Tjaru , like Montu when he goes forth. Every country trembled before him, fear was in their hearts [...] The goodly watch in life, prosperity and health , in the tent of his majesty, was on the highland south of Kadesh. When his majesty appeared like the rising of Re, he assumed the adornments of his father, Montu. [...] The Temple complex of Montu in Medamud , the ancient Medu, less than five kilometers north-east of today's Luxor ,

308-430: The 11th Dynasty were called Mentuhotep , which means "Montu (Mentu) is satisfied": The Greeks associated Montu with their god of war Ares – although that did not prevent his assimilation to Apollo , probably due to the solar radiance that distinguished him. The cult of this military god enjoyed great prestige under the pharaohs of the 11th Dynasty, whose expansionism and military successes led, around 2055 BC, to

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336-480: The 11th Dynasty, which may have been native of Armant. King Mentuhotep II is its first known builder, but the original complex was enlarged and embellished during the 12th Dynasty, the less well-known 13th Dynasty (c. 1803–1649 BC), and later in the New Kingdom (especially under King Thutmose III ). Ramesses II (1279–1213 BC) and his son Merneptah (1213–1203 BC) of the 19th Dynasty added colossi and statues. It

364-595: The Buchis was the result of their syncretism . Eventually, the Buchis bull was identified as a form of the Apis, and consequently became considered an incarnation of Osiris . It is uncertain when the Buchis cult disappeared. The last confirmed tomb at the Bucheum is dated to the regnal year 12 of Diocletian (circa 295 CE), while the latest attestation of a Buchis burial is a stela reporting its installation in regnal year 33 of Diocletian (317 CE) and its demise in regnal year 57 of

392-462: The Egyptian pantheon. From the 11th Dynasty onward, Montu was considered the symbol of the pharaohs as rulers, conquerors and winners, as well as their inspirer on the battlefield. The Egyptian armies were surmounted by the insignia of the "four Montu" (Montu of Thebes, of Armant , of Medamud , and of El-Tod : the main cult centers of the god), all represented while trampling and piercing enemies with

420-641: The Strong Arm". Because of the association of raging bulls with strength and war, the Egyptians also believed that Montu manifested himself as a white, black-snouted bull named Buchis (hellenization of the original Bakha : a living bull revered in Armant ) — to the point that, in the Late Period (7th-4th centuries BC), Montu was depicted with a bull's head too. This special sacred bull had dozens of servants and wore precious crowns and bibs. In Egyptian art , Montu

448-453: The burial place of the sacred Buchis bulls of Hermonthis, is on the desert edge north of the city. The earliest bull burial dates to Nectanebo II, and the complex remained in use until the mid 4th century AD. The burial place of the Mother of Buchis cows has also been located. Extensive cemeteries of all periods are found in the neighbourhood of Hermonthis. Under Cleopatra VII, Hermonthis became

476-475: The capital of the 4th Upper Egyptian nome. The city remained in use during the Coptic era. Zeus and Apollo were worshipped there, both had the epithet Hermonthitis (Ἑρμωνθίτης). There was also a sanctuary of Isis. Montu Montu was a falcon -god of war in the ancient Egyptian religion , an embodiment of the conquering vitality of the pharaoh . He was particularly worshipped in Upper Egypt and in

504-465: The district of Thebes . [Ramesses II] whom victory was foretold as he came from the womb, Whom valor was given while in the egg, Bull firm of heart as he treads the arena, Godly king going forth like Montu on victory day. Montu's name, shown in Egyptian hieroglyphs to the right, is technically transcribed as mn t w (meaning "Nomad" ). Because of the difficulty in transcribing Egyptian vowels, it

532-578: The large Armant complex, moreover, there was the Bucheum , necropolis of the Buchis sacred bulls. The first burial of a Buchis in this special necropolis dates back to the reign of Nectanebo II (c. 340 BC), while the final one took place at the time of the Emperor/Pharaoh Diocletian (c. 300 AD). In the great Karnak Temple Complex , north of the monumental Temple of Amun , King Amenhotep III built

560-531: The reunification of Egypt, the end of a period of chaos known today as the First Intermediate Period , and a new era of greatness for the country. This part of Egyptian history, known as the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1650 BC), was a period in which Montu assumed the role of supreme god — before then gradually being surpassed by the other Theban god Amun , destined to become the most important deity of

588-506: The sons of Montu. In the famous narrative of the Battle of Kadesh, Ramesses II was said to have seen the enemy and "raged at them like Montu, Lord of Thebes". A temple dedicated to Montu existed at Hermonthis as early as the Eleventh Dynasty , which perhaps originated at Hermonthis. Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II is the earliest builder known with certainty. Important additions were made during

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616-512: Was also the given name of a son of Ramesses II , of one of Ramesses III and one of Ramesses IX ). Thutmose III (c. 1479—1425 BC), "the Napoleon of Egypt", was described in ancient times as a "Valiant Montu on the Battlefield". An inscription from his son Amenhotep II (1427–1401 BC) recalls that the eighteen-year-old pharaoh was able to shoot arrows through copper targets while driving

644-489: Was built by the great Pharaoh Senusret III (c. 1878–1839 BC) of the 12th Dynasty , probably on a pre-existing sacred site of the Old Kingdom . The temple courtyard was used as a dwelling for the living Buchis bull, revered as an incarnation of Montu. The main entrance was to the north-east, while a sacred lake was probably on the west side of the sanctuary. The building consisted of two distinct adjoining sections, perhaps

672-470: Was demolished to reuse its material in the construction of a sugar factory; however, etchings , prints and previous studies (for example the Napoleonic Description de l'Égypte ) show its appearance. Only the remains of the pylon of Thutmose III are still visible — in addition to the ruins of two entrances, one of which was built under the 2nd century AD Roman emperor /Pharaoh Antoninus Pius . In

700-408: Was depicted as a falcon -headed or bull-headed man, with his head surmounted by the solar disk (because of his conceptual link with Ra ) with either a double or singular uraeus , and two feathers. The falcon was a symbol of the sky and the bull was a symbol of strength and war. He could also wield various weapons, such as a curved sword , a spear, bow and arrows, or knives: such military iconography

728-469: Was dismantled, except for a pylon , in the Late Period (7th/4th century BC) — but a new temple was begun by King Nectanebo II (360–342 BC), the last native pharaoh of Egypt, and continued by the Ptolemies . In the 1st century BC, Cleopatra VII (51–30 BC) built a mammisi and a sacred lake there in honour of her son, the very young Ptolemy XV Caesarion . The building remained visible until 1861, when it

756-405: Was the deification of the kꜣ ("power, life-force", Egyptological pronunciation ka ) of the war god Montu as a sacred bull that was worshipped in the region of Hermonthis . In order to being chosen as the Buchis incarnation of Montu, a bull was required to have a white body and black face. When these bulls – and in later times also their mothers – died, they were mummified , and placed in

784-469: Was widespread in the New Kingdom (16th-11th centuries BC). Montu had several consorts, including the little-known Theban goddesses Tjenenyet and Iunit , and a female form of Ra, Raet-Tawy . He was also revered as one of the patrons of the city of Thebes and its fortresses. The sovereigns of the 11th Dynasty (c. 2134–1991 BC) chose Montu as a protective and dynastic deity, inserting references to him in their own names. For example, four pharaohs of

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