Min In Egyptian mythology, god of fertility, rain, and crops. Min was honored in harvest festivals, during which the first-cut sheaf of the harvest was offered to him by the king. According to some texts, he was also worshipped as a god of roads and travelers and was evoked by caravan leaders before setting out through the desert. Min is portrayed as a man with an erect phallus holding a whip in his right hand. On his head he wears a crown surmounted by two tall plumes, with a streamer descending from its back. During the festival of Min, the queen of Egypt assumed the role of the “mother of Min” so that the royal ka (vital force) could be passed on to the next king. In narratives, this ritual becomes the rape of Isis by her son MinHorus. In later times the Egyptians identified Min with Amun-Ra, and the Greeks with Pan. He was also closely associated with Horus, who was in some texts addressed as Min-Horus. A classical writer suggested that Min was promoted to the role of a fertility god after he made love to all of the women in Egypt while the men were away fighting wars.
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow
Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante
Min
Lord of the Eastern Desert; Lord of Foreign Lands
ORIGIN:
Egypt
Min is the lord of male sexuality, virility, and fertility. The gifts he bestows on devotees include sexual energy, vitality, vigor, and fertility. Min ensures production of healthy sperm and semen and may also be petitioned to bestow fertility to women. During the New Kingdom (1567–1085 BCE), Min was honored during pharaonic coronation rites to ensure the pharaoh’s sexual vigor and to guarantee a male heir.
Min is paired with Nephthys and also sometimes with Isis, either as a son or a consort. He may be an avatar of Osiris. Min also has other functions. He is a storm spirit with control over precipitation and is associated with the agricultural harvest. He was the lord of caravan routes through the desert, protecting merchants from various potential dangers emanating from spiritual and human sources as well as from the desert itself.
FAVOURED PEOPLE:
Travelers, nomads, merchants, hunters
ATTRIBUTE:
Thunderbolt
COLOUR:
Black, white
Creatures: White Bull, Ram
Tree:
Palm
PLANET:
Sun
ELEMENT
Air
SACRED SITES:
Min’s most important sanctuaries were at Koptus (Qift) and Akhmim (Panoplis). His temple was among the last, if not the last, to be abandoned following the abolition of traditional Egyptian religion. Min rules desert roads. Historically, he ruled the caravan routes that left Koptus, journeying through the desert to the Red Sea.
OFFERINGS:
Min was traditionally offered a portion of the harvest. In addition, he was given lettuce, but not just any lettuce. The Egyptians possessed a special phallic-shaped lettuce with a milky residue reputed to have aphrodisiac properties. Substitutions are appropriate but some attempt should be made to maintain the phallic nature of the sacrifice; cucumbers or large endives might be more appropriate than plain lettuce leaves or a head of iceberg. Phallic-shaped ex-votos may also be offered.
SEE ALSO:
Isis; Nephthys; Osiris
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by :Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.