HENU: GESTURE OF PRAISE 𓀊
- Heru
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
The human figure is representative of the Nsut Bity (pharaoh), an earthly embodiment of divine authority and power, serving as the intermediary between the gods and humanity. They are part of a collective called the "Souls of Iunu" and are first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts. The gesture they perform is called the Henu or /hnw/, or "jubilation" gesture. They are typically shown as coronations scenes and at the birth of the Nsut (pharaoh). The gesture was also associated with a series of deities known as the "Ba of Pe and Nekhen". These deities were in the form of three men, one with the head of a man wearing the Nemes head wrap, one with the head of a falcon and one with the head of a jackal.
The human figure represents the pharaoh as the earthly embodiment of the divine. In this case, specifically the "Ba" of Pe and Nekhen, the figure symbolizes the pharaoh's soul (Ba), which is closely associated with the divine powers of Heru. This figure is not just a mortal ruler, but a divine being empowered by the gods to maintain ma'at (cosmic order) and ensure the prosperity and stability of Kemet.
The falcon figure is called the "Soul of Pe." The "Soul of Pe" refers to the falcon, specifically symbolizing the divine power of Heru in the city of Pe. Pe was the capital city of Ta-Mehu (Lower Kemet), which translates to the City of Papyrus, known primarily as the political center of the protector deity Wadjet. Along with its sister city Dep, it formed the larger city of Buto, which served as a major religious and political hub in the Nile Delta. Pe symbolized the power of Lower Kemet and was deeply tied to the Red Crown (Deshret) and the early pharaonic state. As the northern counterpart to Nekhen in Upper Kemet, Pe played a key role in the mythology and symbolism of Kemet's unification.
In this context, it represents the spiritual essence and authority of the city. While Nekhen was the primary city of worship for Heru, The falcon in Pe emphasizes the connection of Heru with the southern lands, which had power over the sky and kingship. The falcon represents the active force of Heru over the entire nation, not just as a protector of the pharaoh, but as the symbol of divine kingship itself. Pe’s falcon is a unifying symbol that ties Heru to both the north and the south, indicating the integration of both lands and their shared royal patronage of Heru.
The jackal figure is called the "Soul of Nekhen," symbolizing the powerful protective spirit of the city and its association with the god Anpu (Anubis), who presided over funerary rites and the afterlife. As a guardian of the dead and a guide to the underworld, the jackal represented both the protection of the pharaoh's soul and the spiritual strength of Nekhen itself, emphasizing the city’s crucial role in the royal cult and the transition between life and death. Nekhen is a historical city in Upper Kemet where Narmers Palette was discovered. In so-called "predynastic" times Nekhen was the political capital of Ta-Shemu (Upper Kemet), whose chief deity was Heru, the manifestation of Divine Kingship. The Pharaonic Kingdom of Ta-Shemu ('Land of Reeds') emerged from the unification of the Nubian Kingdom of Qustul and the Upper Egyptian Naqada III culture centuries before Narmer conquered the Delta.
The henu sign, a pose symbolizing praise or celebration from the earliest times to the later periods. You’ll often see priests and officials in this stance when welcoming the pharaoh into court, arms raised in reverence. The henu pose, found throughout all eras of Kemetian art, is a sacred gesture of praise, exaltation, and divine welcome. It was often performed by priests and officials as a ritual act of reverence when the pharaoh—seen as the living embodiment of divine order—appeared before the court. In a deeply spiritual context, this same posture was also directed toward the sun god Ra as he rose above the eastern horizon, symbolizing not just the dawn, but the daily resurrection of divine light. The henu pose reflects a profound reverence for renewal, salvation, and the triumphant return of the divine.
Know Thyself: Origin Story | Episode Three: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjpUPTgejvY&t=873s
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