What a Phoenix Bird is


I love living in Phoenix, and I really enjoy seeing images of Phoenix Birds. They're the legendary birds of ancient mythology that rise up out of their own ashes, and are usually portrayed rising up out of fire.

One of my favorite things to see is Phoenix Birds in stained glass in churches. The first time I saw one was when I got to see the Bethel Methodist Church, at 7th Street and Osborn, as it was being converted into Taco Guild. Most of the stained glass was preserved, including the Phoenix Bird pictured above. Yeah, it kind'a looks like a chicken, but it's a Phoenix Bird - look at the flames below it. I saw another Phoenix Bird at a local church here in Glendale last weekend, so I need to go back and take a photo.

Phoenix Bird at Town and Country Shopping Center.

The most famous images of Phoenix Birds were created by Paul Coze. There's one in Terminal 2 of Sky Harbor, and there's also one at the entrance to Town and Country Shopping Center on Camelback Road east of 20th Street.

Phoenix Bird at Terminal 2 of Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix.

By the way, don't confuse a Phoenix Bird with a Thunderbird. A Thunderbird is an Indian image, and is usually portrayed with wide shoulders. Thunderbirds are still pretty cool, and I like them, but they aren't Phoenix Birds.

Comments

  1. bbrownAugust 19, 2015 at 3:22 AM

    An other important Thunderbird: Thunderbird Bank, which my father worked at as a VP of Commercial Lending before Marshall & Illsley bought them.

    ReplyDelete

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