Iah ( Egyptian: ''jꜥḥ'', Coptic ) is a

lunar deity A lunar deity or moon deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. These deities can have a variety of functions and traditions depending upon the culture, but they are often related. Lunar deities and Moon worship can be found ...

in ancient Egyptian religion. The word ''jꜥḥ'' simply means "Moon". It is also transcribed as ''Yah'', ''Jah'', or ''Aah''.

Worship

By the New Kingdom (16th century to 11th century BC) he was less prominent than other gods with lunar connections,

Thoth Thoth (; from grc-koi, Θώθ ''Thṓth'', borrowed from cop, Ⲑⲱⲟⲩⲧ ''Thōout'', Egyptian: ', the reflex of " eis like the Ibis") is an ancient Egyptian deity. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or ...

and

Khonsu Khonsu ( egy, ḫnsw; also transliterated Chonsu, Khensu, Khons, Chons or Khonshu; cop, Ϣⲟⲛⲥ, Shons) is the ancient Egyptian god of the Moon. His name means "traveller", and this may relate to the perceived nightly travel of the Moon ...

. As a result of the functional connection between them he could be identified with either of those deities. Iah was sometimes considered an adult form of Khonsu and was increasingly absorbed by him. He continued to appear in amulets and occasional other representations, similar to Khonsu in appearance, with the same lunar symbols on his head and occasionally the same tight garments. He differed in usually wearing a full wig instead of a child's sidelock, and sometimes the Atef topped by another symbol. As time went on, Iah also became Iah-Djehuty, meaning "god of the new moon". In this role, he assumed the lunar aspect of

(also known as Djehuty), who was the god of knowledge, writing and calculation. The segments of the moon were also used as fractional symbols in writing.S. Quirke and A.J. Spencer, ''The British Museum Book of Ancient Egypt''. London, The British Museum Press, 1992 Iah was also assimilated with

Osiris Osiris (, from Egyptian ''wsjr'', cop, ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲉ , ; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎𐤓, romanized: ʾsr) is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He wa ...

, god of the dead, perhaps because, in its monthly cycle, the Moon appears to renew itself.

References

{{Ancient Egyptian religion footer, State=Collapsed Egyptian gods Lunar gods Kemetism Khonsu

Worship

See also

References