Ra

the sun

Ra is the sun itself and at once creator of the world and king of the gods.

💡 Did you know? By Egyptian belief, humankind arose from the tears of Ra.

in the solar barque

Ra crosses the sky in his solar barque; at night he travels through the twelve hours of the underworld.

💡 Did you know? Beside pyramids archaeologists dug up real wooden „solar barques“ meant to serve the dead pharaoh.

the serpent Apophis

By night the chaos serpent Apophis threatens the solar barque; Ra must defeat it so morning can come.

💡 Did you know? A solar eclipse was interpreted as Apophis briefly swallowing the sun.

with a falcon head

Ra usually appears as a man with a falcon head crowned by the sun disk.

💡 Did you know? At morning he was the scarab Khepri, at evening the aged Atum: the sun through the changing day.

as sons of Ra

The pharaohs traced their rule to Ra and called themselves „Son of Ra.“

💡 Did you know? The pyramids and obelisks are read in part as sunbeams in stone in his honour.

with Amun (Amun-Ra)

In the New Kingdom Ra merged with the state god Amun into Amun-Ra, the supreme god.

💡 Did you know? Thus the hidden power of Amun and the visible might of the sun were joined.