Egyptian Gods

Anhur was a foreign God of War and Hunting originally worshipped in Thinis, near the area of Abydos during the 11th dynasty. The name Anhur also spelled as An-Her, Anhuret, Han-Her, Inhert and Onuris or Onouris in Greek.

The name Anhur means “he who leads back the distant one” and it also mean “sky bearer”. This name reflects to the myths that said he brought his wife or his female counterpart Menhit, the lioness goddess from Nubia, which is the “Eye of Ra”, who became his consort. This myth similar to the god Shu also brought back the fearsome “eye” as his own consort, Tefnut.

Anhur appearance portrayed as a bearded man wearing a long kilt or robe with a headdress of four feathers on his head. He holds a spear or lance in his raised high hand refer to the epithet “the lord of lances”. Occasionally, he also depicted as a lion headed man.

Anhur protect the sun god Ra, his father from his enemies such as Apep. Thus, he was given him the titles as “Slayer of Enemies”. He was associated with Shu, the air god became Anhur-Shu. Later, Shu was eventually absorbed completely into Anhur. He was also associated Monthu, Sopedu and strongly with Horus, became Horus-Anhur or Arensnuphis.

As a war and hunting god, Anhur was the patron of the ancient Egyptian armies and the personification of royal warriors. His cult center was built in the town of Sebennytos at Delta, where a temple was constructed for Anhur-Shu by Nectanebo II.