von Wallenstern: Die Reiher im Alten Ägypten

Eleonore Schindler von Wallenstern, (2011)

Die Reiher im Alten Ägypten (The Heron in Ancient Egypt)

Ornithologische Betrachtungen und religionsgeschichtliche Bedeutung, 

Dissertation, Philosophische Fakultät der Eberhard-Karls-Universtät Tübingen, 

337 pp., 113 figs. on 37 unnumbered pp., 48 pls. - pdf-file (35 MB)

http://tobias-lib.uni-tuebingen.de/volltexte/2011/5536/

"The thesis has ten chapters, list of abbreviations, bibliography, images and plates. In the first chapter of the work the twelve in Egypt occuring species of herons are ornithological described. Herons belong to the category of ciconiiformes. In Ancient Egypt had been ten of the twelve heron-species distinguished and termed with an own name. The Benu-heron is with the Nwr-heron the most important heron. The chapters
2 - 4 are about the archeological finds of herons, the keeping of herons and the ancient egyptian names. In the next chapter are the purely figurative images of herons described. Chapter six gives an overview
to the ancient egyptian sources of texts. In the ancient egyptian religion the herons have a pronounced relation to the Sungod. This is explained
in the seventh chapter. The rebirth of the dead and his participation in the course of the sun play an important role therein. In the following chapter eight the cultic topography and religious specialities of herons in several sanctuaries and holy places are discussed. The fundamental
relation of the herons to Osiris is explained in chapter nine. The heron
appears therein as Ba of Osiris and has a specific function in the
astronomical texts. In the tenth and last chapter the Benu-heron
appears as the 'custodian of all being' and as lord of the both eternities.
In the unification of Re with Osiris culminates the relation of the
Benu-heron to these two gods. The Benu-heron fulfills herein
the final task of the carrier of role for the Ba of the unified Re with
Osiris."