Editing Khnum (section)

==Temple at Esna==
[[File:SFEC_EGYPT_ESNA_2006-013.JPG|left|thumb|Khnum on the right with [[Menhit]] on the left, shown on the outside wall of the temple at [[Esna]]]]
In [[Esna]], a temple was dedicated to Khnum, [[Neith]] and [[Heka (god)|Heka]], among other deities. Although construction of this temple commenced during the Ptolemaic era, the majority of its surviving sections were erected during Roman times. The temple rested in a field, which Khnum is regarded as the lord of, and was responsible for maintaining the land's fertility, ensuring the continuation of life. The Temple of Esna emphasizes his role as a divine potter through numerous hymns that attribute the creation of deities, mankind, plants, and animals to him. The north temple's wall features depictions of the favor shown by Roman rulers, showcasing offerings made by emperors and their encounters with deities.<ref name="Hart-2005" /><ref name="Hallof-2011" /><ref name="RW2" /><ref name="Lichtheim-2006a" />[[File:EsnaTemplePM04.jpg|thumb|At the Temple of Esna, Emperor Tiberius is depicted led by the deities Buto and Nekhbet to Khnum.|left]][[File:26949- Khnum makes man on the potters wheel.jpg|left|thumb|Khnum (left) fashions the god Ihy (middle) on a potter's wheel, with the help of the goddess Heqet, Dendera Temple.]][[File:EsnaTemplePM27.jpg|left|thumb|Horus, emperor [[Commodus]] and Khnum drawing a net with birds of the marshs and fishes, inner north wall, Temple of Khnum, Esna, Egypt.|220x220px]][[File:EsnaTempleExample2.jpg|
thumb|Scene at the south wall, king offers feathers to Khnum and Nepthys, Temple of Khnum, Esna, Egypt|left]]

Within the temple, Khnum is occasionally depicted with the head of a crocodile. His primary consorts are Nebt-uu and [[Menhit]], while Heka is recognized as his eldest son and successor. Khnum is sometimes referred to as the "father of the fathers" and Neith as the "mother of the mothers". They later become the parents of [[Ra]], who is also referred to as Khnum-Re.<ref>[[Kathryn Bard]], ed. (1999). ''Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt''. Psychology Press.</ref> 

The completion of hieroglyphic embellishments in Egyptian temples culminated with the Temple of Esna.<ref name="Hallof-2011" /> Esna-A, built in the Ptolemaic era, later gained modern renown as the first ancient Egyptian structure to formally record a connection between the [[zodiac]] and the two [[decan]] lists.<ref name="El">El-Shaieb, Mona Z. and Hemeda, Sayed. (2014). "Reconstruction of the first zodiac: Esna A". ''Cairo University.''</ref>

Presently, much of the site lies in ruins, as many blocks had been repurposed to build a canal.<ref name="El" /> The remnants of the temple lie largely obscured beneath modern residential areas.<ref name="Shaw" />