Phoenix History.

History and Appearance.

The origin of the mythical bird, Phoenix comes from ancient Egyptian mythology but is also mentioned in Greek, Roman and Chinese mythology. Originally, the Phoenix was identified by the Egyptians as a stork or heron-like bird called a Benu, known from the Book of the Dead and other Egyptian texts as one of the sacred symbols of worship at Heliopolis, closely associated with the rising sun and the Egyptian sun-god Ra. 

Greek mythology identified the bird being similar to an eagle or a peacock in appearance and used their own name, 'Phoenix' which means the colour crimson. 

According to the Greek myth the Phoenix lived in Phoenicia next to a well. At dawn, it bathed in the water of the well, and the Greek sun-god Helios stopped his chariot (the sun) in order to listen to its song. Featured in the painting Heracles Strangles Snakes (House of the Vettii, Pompeii Italy) as Zeus, the king of the gods. Herodotus spoke about the unique capabity of the bird to be consumed in the flames and be reborn from the ashes.

Featured in the painting Heracles Strangles Snakes (House of the Vettii, Pompeii Italy) as Zeus, the king of the Gods. Herodotus spoke about the unique capability of the bird to be consumed in the flames and be reborn from the ashes.


Relationships.


The Phoenix doesn't appear to communicate with any other beings other than Helios came by at dawn to her it's song.

Symbolism and use in society today.

The phoenix is a universal symbol of the sun, mystical rebirth, resurrection and immortality.

• The famous Belgian € 10 silver coin, commemorating sixty years of peace, depicts the Phoenix as a representation of a new Europe, post 1945.

• The City of Phoenix, Arizona, USA, uses its namesake creature in the city's flag, and as the city's logo.

• The city of San Francisco, California has a phoenix on its flag, symbolising the city's rise from the ashes of multiple fires and earthquakes from the mid-19th century through 1906.

• The Phoenix was also depicted in the Harry Potter movies. Both as representation of a real Phoenix bird and a symbol for an organisation.

• The Phoenix was sometimes used as a symbol of the Provisional IRA. The symbols of rebirth and renewal referred to the Provisional IRA's formation "out of the ashes of '69".

As you can see the Phoenix is used quite a lot today as a symbol for new life often related to a city or a country.

Symbolism in Sport.

This myth could be appropriate for sports that include heavy physical contact such as Rugby or AFL. This could interpreted as immortality and even resurrection as players can get tackled to the ground and even hurt but still go on playing.




Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(mythology)
http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Pa-Pr/Phoenix.html
http://www.mythicalrealm.com/creatures/phoenix.html