The Phoenix: Research (Sarah)

The Phoenix is a well-known bird that is fabled to rise from ash after burning itself, but the original story originated from Arabia. According to legend, the bird lives for 500 years and when it its tired, it flies from Arabia to Heliopolis in Egypt, which is the “City of the Sun.” When it arrives, it gathers cinnamon twigs and resin to make a spice nest on top of the Temple of the Sun, where the sun catches the nest on fire and the Phoenix dies in the flames. However, the bird comes back to life and rises as a newborn out of the ash to travel back to Arabia to complete the life cycle again. Its appearance has always stayed the same: an eagle-like bird with shining gold, red, and purple plumes giving it a majestic look.

Another version of the story was by a Greek historian named Herodotus who introduced the Phoenix to the Western culture and world after his time in Egypt. In his famous book, the Histories, he writes many tales that describe stories of fantastic beasts like the crocodile, hippopotamus, and phoenix. Herodotus also visits the temple in Heliopolis and speaks with the priests: “They have another sacred bird called the phoenix, which I have never seen, except in pictures. Indeed, it is a great rarity, even in Egypt. They tell a story of what this bird does, which does not seem to me to be credible.” This early Greek bird does not include fire, but it does have healing powers and instead of living 500 years, it is immortal. Depending on the part of the world, each legend of the famous Phoenix is different yet still emits awe.

The Phoenix Through the Ages - Swarthmore College Bulletin. www.swarthmore.edu/bulletin/archive/wp/october-2008_the-phoenix-through-the-ages.html.