From an Immigrated Bird to a Deity: Pelican in Ancient Egyptian Sources

Abstract

This paper traces the role of Pelican in daily life and his influence in ancient Egyptian religion. His appearance in the wall of tombs and temple of the sun and also the reluctance of Egyptian to eat him save his egg. This immigrated bird was known in ancient Egypt since the Predynastic period. Although his short stayed in Egyptian land and rarely depicted in Egyptian tombs, regarded as a deity, and mentions more than once in the Pyramid and Coffin Texts, and by one spell in the Book of the Dead. He had a magical powers and assimilated with resurrection and the birth of the sun.