In the Egyptian Mythology, the Bénou is the bird representing the heart of Re which precedes it in the celestial boat. Like Re, the Bénou bird was adored with Héliopolis where it is found also related to Atoum, the god of the setting sun.

During the Ancient Empire, Bénou was represented under the features of a spring Bergeronnette surmounted hairstyle of Osiris or solar sphere. Starting from the New Empire, it took the appearance of a ashy Héron.

He lived on the stone Benben or the crowned willow of Héliopolis. The most widespread myth makes of Bénou a mysterious bird, which appears to the men only the every five hundred years with Héliopolis at the time of its death and of its resurrection which marks the cycle of time thus.

For the Greeks, it became the Phoenix ( phoinix ) whose name perhaps comes from the Egyptian verb webwn which means “to shine”, “étinceler” and “to be born”.

Other orthographies: Benou, Bennou, Benu, Bennu