In Egyptian mythology, Khonsu is the moon god, often depicted with a falcon head.
Khonsu’s name means “traveller,” likely referring to the Moon’s nightly movement across the sky. He was especially important at Thebes, where he formed the Theban Triad with Amun and the goddess Mut. This made him both a lunar deity and a divine child within one of Egypt’s most influential religious centers.
Egyptian artists commonly portrayed Khonsu as a mummified young man with a sidelock of hair, wearing a crescent moon and lunar disk. He could also appear with a falcon’s head, a form that creates an easy mix-up with Horus. Horus was primarily a sky and kingship god, whereas Khonsu’s defining role was lunar.
Khonsu was also associated with healing, protection, fertility, and the measurement of time. His temple at Karnak was expanded during the New Kingdom, and later traditions treated him as a powerful healer whose influence extended beyond Thebes.