According to legend, the legendary phoenix, often depicted as a heron, comes from the ancient city of Heliopolis in Egypt. Here the firebird was called "Benu", was strongly associated with the sun god Ra and was worshiped as a symbol of the rising sun. Its golden to red plumage with its crown of feathers underlined this comparison.

According to one of the Greeks, Phoenix returns to his homeland of Heliopolis in Egypt every 500 years on the anniversary of his father's death. Here the bird forms an egg out of incense, which it buries in the temple of Heliopolis.