Bennu-bird

This small wax and amber-varnished sculpture represents the Bennu bird, a sacred symbol of rebirth in ancient Egyptian religion. Figurines like this have been found in the Bab el-Gasus tomb near ancient Thebes, this one was placed under the armpit of a mummy dating from about 1100 to 700 BCE. It served as a guarantee of resurrection in the afterlife.

In Egyptian mythology, the Bennu bird is described as a self-created being. A manifestation of the sun god Ra and of the creator god Atum, arising from the primeval waters of chaos (Nun) to light the world, symbolizing creation, renewal, and the cyclical nature of existence. The Bennu's self-generated life and radiant cry at dawn marked the beginning of time and the daily rebirth of the sun. Over time, this myth may have inspired the Greek story of the phoenix, the immortal bird that rises from its own ashes.

This figure of the Bennu captures the hope of eternal life that defined Egyptian funerary belief. Its materials of soft wax layered with amber varnish add to its symbolic meaning of transformation and impermanence. Like the Bennu's flight from darkness into light, the small sculpture embodies the promise of renewal beyond death, ensuring that the soul of the deceased would rise again.