Khonsu
The moon god, and the child of the Theban triad.
- Also written
- Khons · Chons · Khonsu-em-Waset-Neferhotep · خنسو
Who they were
Khonsu is the third member of the Theban triad (a group of three deities worshipped together), the son of Amun and Mut, and a moon god whose name is usually connected with a verb meaning “to cross” — the moon crossing the sky. He was also a healing god: an oracle statue of Khonsu was believed to cure, and one famous inscription describes such a statue being sent abroad to heal a foreign princess. His temple stands in the south-west corner of the Karnak precinct and is one of the most complete and legible temples in Luxor, precisely because it is small enough to read as a single plan.
Where you meet them
Khonsu’s temple occupies the south-western part of Karnak’s Amun precinct. Its sequence of courts, halls and sanctuary helps explain temple planning; ask separately about current admission and the permitted route. At Luxor Temple, look for Khonsu with Amun and Mut in the Opet scenes.
Who they are shown with
Amun
Amun often wears a crown with two tall feathers and may appear as a man or in ram-related forms. These are useful clues, but other gods can share attributes: inscriptions and the surrounding scene help confirm an identification.
Mut
Mut often appears as a woman with a vulture headdress and the double crown. She can also take a lioness form. These attributes guide recognition, but inscriptions and the scene’s context are needed when deities share features.
Horus
A falcon or falcon-headed figure may represent Horus, but several deities use falcon imagery. Crown, accompanying text and the action in the scene provide the more reliable identification.
Sources & further reading3
Source review is incomplete. Consultation dates are shown only for checked references.
Published works and institutional references for further reading.