Editing Khnum (section)

==Portrayal in Art and Literature==
Khnum is commonly depicted seated beside a potter's wheel, with a formed entity standing upon it, symbolizing his act of creation.<ref name="Hart-2005" /> Khnum is often portrayed alongside the frog-headed fertility goddess [[Heqet]], who can be seen assisting him at the pottery wheel, as seen in the wall relief of the [[mammisi]] of [[Nectanebo II]]. Khnum and Heqet can also be found together molding the god [[Ihy]] at the [[Dendera Temple complex|Dendera Temple]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ibrahim |first=Venice |title=East-West Dialogue: Individual and Society through Ages |date=June 7, 2019 |publisher=Editura Universul Academic |editor-last=Tatomir |editor-first=Renata |edition=2 |location=Hyperion University of Bucharest |pages=43–70}}</ref>

Statues of Khnum, Satis, and Anuket, along with [[Isis]] and [[Horus]], adorned the [[Temple of Beit el-Wali]] of Ramesses II.<ref name="RW2" /> In Karnak's Great [[Hypostyle]] Wall, Khnum stands beside Pharaoh Ramses II and Horus, employing a net to ensnare water fowl. This is also similarly depicted on the inner north wall of the Temple at Esna with Khnum alongside the Roman emperor [[Commodus]].<ref name="Hallof-2011" /><ref name="Kemp-2006" />

Throughout ancient texts, Khnum is depicted as a creator. In the [[Pyramid Texts]] of the later [[Old Kingdom of Egypt|Old Kingdom]], he crafts ferryboats and a ladder ascending to heaven.<ref name="Redford-2001" /> The [[Fifth Dynasty of Egypt|Fifth Dynasty]] portrays him specifically as the creator of the vessels used by the [[Ra|sun god Ra]], known as the [[solar barque]]. In the [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]], Khnum is credited as the creator of humans in spell 214 of the [[Coffin Texts]].<ref name="Treasure-2021" /> Khnum is mentioned as an inactive god during a [[famine]] in the [[Ipuwer Papyrus]] of the 12th dynasty, where it is said he "does not fashion because of the state of the land."<ref name="Lichtheim-2006a" /> In the [[Tale of Two Brothers|Papyrus d'Obriney]] of Seti II of the [[New Kingdom of Egypt|New Kingdom]], or ''Tale of Two Brothers'', Khnum is responsible for creating [[Bata (god)|Bata's]] wife.<ref name="Simpson-2003">{{Cite book |last=Simpson |first=William Kelly |title=The Literature of Ancient Egypt : An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, and Poetry |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2003}}</ref> Khnum's role extends to the [[Book of the Dead]], as part of the formula spell to prevent the heart of the deceased from opposing them in the Necropolis.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lichtheim |first=Miriam |title=Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume II : The New Kingdom |publisher=University of California Press |year=2006}}</ref>
=== Stelas ===
Khnum features prominently in an inscription and relief of the [[Ptolemaic Kingdom]] known as the [[Famine Stela]], located on the island of [[Sehel Island|Sehel]], south of Elephantine. The [[Stele|stela]] recounts a seven-year period of drought and famine during the reign of King [[Djoser]] of the [[Third Dynasty of Egypt|Third Dynasty]]. According to the inscription, Djoser receives a vision of Khnum, who promises to end the famine. In response, the king issues a decree of one-tenth of all revenue to be allocated to the Temple of Khnum as an offering of gratitude. Above the stela, King Djoser is depicted offering tributes to Khnum, as well as the goddesses [[Satis (goddess)|Satis]] and [[Anuket]].<ref name="Shaw" /><ref name="Simpson-2003" />[[File:Sehel-steleFamine.jpg|thumb|The Famine Stela, on the island of Sehel.]]Khnum is also portrayed in the Stela of [[Seti I]]. The king is depicted presenting an offering to Khnum, bowing while holding two ''nw''-pots. Khnum holds a [[Was-sceptre|''was''-scepter]] in his left hand and an ankh in his right, adorned in a kilt and an atef crown topped with a solar disk. Both figures stand on a ''mA''-sickle and are equally sculpted. Above Khnum, it states, "Beloved of Khnum, lord of the West."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Darnell |first=John Coleman |chapter=A Stela of Sety I from the Region of Kurkur Oasis |url=https://www.academia.edu/19067683 |editor1=S. Snape |editor2=M. Collier |title=Ramesside Studies in Honour of K.A. Kitchen |location=Liverpool |publisher=Rutherford Press Limited |year=2011 |pages=127–144}}</ref>

In the Stela of [[Tutankhamun]] from Sinn el-Kabid, Tutankhamun is depicted incensing the god Khnum. Khnum is seated on a throne, dressed in a kilt, chest piece, and wide collar, holding an ankh and a ''was''-scepter. Khnum, revered at Kumma, holds an epithet indicative of his protective role over riverine and desert passes, symbolized by opposing bows at the entrances. The text above Khnum designates him as the "Lord of the Cataract."<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Darnell |first1=John Coleman |last2=Haddad |first2=Abd el-Hakim |date=2003 |title=A Stela of the Reign of Tutankhamun from the Region of Kurkur Oasis |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25152884 |journal=Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur |volume=31 |pages=73–91 |jstor=25152884 |issn=0340-2215}}</ref>

=== Hymns ===
Khnum is a recurring figure in numerous of the hymns within the temples at Elephantine and Esna, showcasing his significance. Distinctively, ''The Morning Hymn to Khnum'' aligns him with the gods [[Amun]] and [[Shu (Egyptian god)|Shu]], venerating him as the "Lord of life" and attributing him the ability to shape the bodies of humans. Another revered hymn, ''The Great Hymn to Khnum'', celebrates him as the creator of all men, gods, and animals, as well as the provider of minerals and nurturer of plant life. This hymn delves into Khnum's intricate craftsmanship in forming body parts and assigning their functions. Additionally, Khnum is also acknowledged for creating a diversity of languages across regions, contrasting with Egyptian speech. In this hymn, Khnum is further depicted as the "Ba-of" many different deities scattered throughout Egypt, merging with the gods and representing the embodiment of their souls.<ref name="Lichtheim-2006b" /> In ''The Great Second Hymn to Khnum'', the hymn depicts Khnum-Ra sailing across the sky to establish pillars with goddesses in the south, north, and east, and possibly the west.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hafez |first=Sherin |date=2024-01-01 |title=The Mythological Significance of aHaj.t ; The Goddess of the South |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.21608/ijthsx.2024.245028.1066 |journal=The International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Studies |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=1–23 |doi=10.21608/ijthsx.2024.245028.1066 |issn=2785-9851}}</ref>

Further linking Khnum to the divine narrative, he is mentioned in ''The Hymn to Hapy'', connecting him to the Nile-god.<ref name="Lichtheim-2006a" />

=== Divine Birth Scenes ===
[[File:Khnum, Setos I., Amun.jpg|thumb|Khnum, Setos I and Amun in the mortuary temple of Seti I in Abydos]]
The god Khnum plays a significant role in the birth narratives of Egyptian leaders, often serving to legitimize their rule. In the Old Kingdom, King [[Sahure]] of the Fifth Dynasty can be seen suckling on the goddess [[Nekhbet]] at his birth, with Khnum presiding beside them.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=El-Shamy |first1=Saraa |last2=Ibrahim |first2=Osama |last3=Hassan |first3=Taher |last4=Shaikh Al Arab |first4=Walid |date=2019-03-01 |title=Goddess Nekhbet Scenes on Royal Monuments during the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties |journal=International Journal of Heritage, Tourism and Hospitality |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=190–201 |doi=10.21608/ijhth.2019.35114 |issn=2636-414X|doi-access=free }}</ref> In the Middle Kingdom, the [[Westcar Papyrus]], recounts the birth of three triplet kings by the woman [[Ruddedet]]. Khnum and the other deities disguise themselves to assist with the birth, and Khnum infuses "health" into the life of the bodies of the future kings, receiving a sack of barley as payment.<ref name="Hart-2005" /><ref name="Lichtheim-2006a" /> Queen [[Hatshepsut]] of the New Kingdom was similarly illustrated being created on Khnum's potter's wheel in the [[Depiction of Hatshepsut's birth and coronation|depiction of her Divine Birth]], at the Temple of [[Deir el-Bahari]], bestowing "life, health, and strength, and all gifts," upon her. It is also carved that Khnum made "her appearance above the gods". Additionally, reliefs in the [[Luxor Temple]] illustrate Khnum crafting the body and ''ka'' of King [[Amenhotep III]] in a comparable manner.<ref name="Treasure-2021" />