Egyptian sun god. Gods of Ancient Egypt - list, description and meaning
The ancient Egyptians revered Ra as the god who created everything. Also known as the Sun God, Ra was a powerful deity and central god Egyptian pantheon.
The ancient Egyptians worshiped Ra more than any other god, and pharaohs often associated themselves with Ra in their attempts to see the earthly incarnation of the Sun God.
Who is Ra?
Ra (pronounced Ray) represents sunlight, warmth and growth. Naturally, the ancient Egyptians considered him the creator of the world, and also believed that there was a part of him represented in all other gods.
The ancient Egyptians believed that each god should illustrate some aspect of Ra, while Ra himself should also represent each god.
Appearance of Ra
Ra was usually depicted as a man. He had the head of a falcon, crowned with a solar disk.
This solar disk was surrounded by a sacred cobra named Urai. Ra was also depicted as a beetle-headed man and also as a ram-headed man.
Ancient people also depicted Ra in the form of various animals such as snake, heron, bull, lion, cat, ram, hawk, beetle, phoenix and others.
Its main symbol, however, is the solar disk.
Ra. Mythology
The ancient Egyptians believed that as the sun god, Ra's role would have been to sail through the heavens during the day in his boat called the "Barque of Millions of Years."
In the morning, when Ra appeared from the east, his boat was named "Madjet", which meant "to become strong." At the end of the day the boat was called "Semektet", which meant "to become weak". At the end of the day it was believed that Ra had died and gone to underworld, leaving the moon in its place to illuminate the world.
The next day, Ra was reborn at dawn. During his journey through the sky during the day, he fought with his main enemy, an evil serpent named Apep, and also the Lord of Chaos.
In some stories, Ra, in the form of a cat named Mau, wins evil snake, Apep. This is one of the reasons why cats are so highly valued in Egypt.
Ra created himself from primordial chaos. He is also known as Re and Atum. His children are Shu, the God of dry air and the Father of the Sky. His twin sister is Tefnut, Goddess of Wetness and Dryness. As the goddess headed by lions, Tefnut was responsible for dew and freshness. Humans were created from the tears of Ra.
Although Ra was highly revered and devotedly worshiped by the ancient Egyptians, there is a story that suggests that he eventually became weak. In The Legend of Ra, Isis and the Serpent, when Ra grew old, he drooled.
Isis knew that Ra's power was hidden in his secret name. Isis collected the saliva of Ra and created a snake from it. She released the snake to Ra, and it bit him. Isis wanted Ra's power to always please her, but she knew she had to force him to tell her his secret name.
Eventually, because of the pain he was enduring, Ra allowed himself to be "searched" by Isis. And with that she healed him, and the power of Ra was transferred to her.
The Tree of Life is an important religious symbol for the Egyptians. The Tree of Life was located in the Temple of the Sun Ra in Heliopolis and was considered sacred. The fruit that emerged from this tree was inaccessible to people, but only it could be used in aging rituals intended for the pharaohs.
The Tree of Life is also referred to as the mythical, sacred Isis tree. Eternal life came to those who ate fruit from the Tree of Life.
Other important ancient Egyptian symbol associated with Ra is "Bennu". Bennu is the name of the bird that represented the soul of Ra. This bird is a phoenix, and it sat at the Tree of Life in the Temple of the Sun of Ra in Heliopolis.
Inside the temple, on top of the obelisk, was the Benben Stone. This pyramidal stone served as a beacon for Bennu and was also an important ancient Egyptian religious symbol.
Worship of the Sun God
Solar temples were built for Ra, but they did not contain statues of the god. Instead, they were created to be open to sunlight, which represented Ra.
The earliest known temple built in honor of Ra exists in Heliopolis (which is now a suburb of Cairo). This solar temple is known as the "Benu Phoenix" and is believed to have been established at the site where Ra appeared.
Although Ra dates back to the Second Dynasty, he is not the oldest of the Egyptian gods. It was not until the fifth dynasty that Ra became closely associated with the pharaoh.
As the king and leader of Egypt, the pharaoh was seen as the human manifestation of Horus, so both gods became one. This new fusion of deity was then called "Ra-Gorakhty", meaning that "Ra" is the God of the Horizon.
Ra's relationship with other gods did not stop there. Being the powerful creator of humanity and the sun god, he also became associated with Atum, resulting in "Atum-Ra".
The Fifth Dynasty and subsequent pharaohs were all known as the "Sons of Ra", and Ra came to be included in every pharaoh's name from that time on.
During the Middle Kingdom, a new deity Amun-Ra was formed. Amun was one of the gods who formed the Ogdod (a collection of eight gods representing the eight elements of creation).
The New Kingdom brought new heights of Ra worship. Many tombs in the Valley of the Kings depict Ra and his journey through the underworld. During this time, many solar temples were built.
Eye of Ra
The Eye of Ra is present in ancient Egyptian mythology and is depicted as a solar disk with two Urau cobras coiled around it, next to the white and red crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Originally associated with Horus, the Eye of Ra changed positions in the myths, promoting both the expansion of Ra's power and his separate entity.
Facts about God Ra
The ancient Egyptians worshiped Ra to such an extent, more than other gods, that some historians claimed that ancient egyptian religion was truly monotheistic with Ra as the only god.
Historians believe that the pyramids may represent rays of sunlight and also link the pharaohs to Ra, the sun god.
During Ra's journey through the heavens, he was accompanied by several other gods, including Thoth, Horus, Hathor, Maat, Abtu, and Anet.
Nut, the goddess of the sky and clouds, is sometimes referred to as the mother of Ra because he emerges from her and is reborn every morning.
The morning manifestation of Ra is known as "Khepri - the Scarab God".
The evening manifestation of Ra is known as the robber god, Khnum.
The sacred cobra that surrounded Ra's crown symbolized royalty, sovereignty and divine authority.
Ra's right eye represented the Sun, while Ra's left eye represented the Moon. Ra is also closely associated with the myth of the Tree of Life, Ben-Ben-Ston and the Bennu-Berd myths.
The glory came to an end when the Romans conquered Egypt.
The list of gods of ancient Egypt and their description will help reveal an integral part Everyday life people of early civilization. This information will be useful for 5th grade students studying ancient history, as well as for all those interested.
There were more than 2,000 deities in the Egyptian pantheon. More famous gods became state deities, while others were associated with a particular region or, in some cases, ritual.
The well-known pictures of ancient deities are widely known in modern society.
The history of the ancient world was formed under the influence of these deities and that important role, which they played in the immortal journey of every person.
Features of the gods of Ancient Egypt
The main value of Egyptian culture is maat - harmony and balance, represented by the eponymous goddess Maat with a white feather.
Egyptian deities were fictitious personalities, had their own names and individual characteristics, wore different types of clothing, held different positions, led, and reacted individually to events.
The Egyptians had no problem with many gods. Characteristics and roles were combined to reconcile different religious beliefs, practices or ideals. For example, for political and religious reasons, the god Amun, who was considered the most powerful deity of the New Kingdom, was combined with Ra, whose cult was associated with the more ancient period of Egypt.
Why did the Egyptians worship Amon-Ra? The sun god is the embodiment of the solar disk, which brought the harvest to the Egyptians. The entire civilization of ancient Egypt was largely dependent on the sun's rays.
From this point of view, it was the deity of the Sun that became the main one among the ideas of the population. In addition, the presence of a single cult of a deity was an excellent lever for strengthening power in the role of patron of the Pharaoh.
The main gods of Ancient Egypt
Amat- a goddess with the head of a crocodile, the torso of a leopard, and the back of a hippopotamus.
It was located under the rocks of justice in the Hall of Truth in afterlife and absorbed the souls of those who failed to justify themselves before Osiris.
Amon (Amon-Ra)- deity of the sun, air, king of the gods of Egypt. One of the most powerful and popular gods, patron of the city of Thebes. Amun was revered as part of the Theban triad - Amun, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu.
By the time of the New Kingdom, Amun was considered the king of the gods in Egypt, and his worship was limited to monotheism. Other gods were considered different aspects of Amun. His priesthood was the most powerful and the position of wife of Amun, granted to royal women, was almost on par with that of the pharaoh.
Anubis- god of death, the dead and embalming, patron of the pharaoh. Son of Nephthys and Osiris, father of Kebes. Anubis was depicted as a man with the head of a jackal. He led souls of the dead in the Hall of Truth, was part of the Weighing of the Soul Heart ritual in the afterlife.
He was probably the first god of the dead before that role was given to Osiris. He acted as the patron of the ruling pharaoh in Egypt.
Apis- a divine from Memphis, playing the role of an incarnation of the god Ptah. One of the early gods of ancient Egypt, depicted on the Narmer Palette (circa 3150 BC).
The cult of Apis was one of the most important and long-lasting in the history of Egyptian culture.
Apophis (Apophis) the serpent that attacks Ra's solar boat every day as it travels through the underworld towards dawn.
The ritual known as the overthrow of Apophis was performed at the temples to help the gods and departed souls protect the boat and ensure the coming of the day.
Aten- solar disk, originally the deity of the Sun, which was elevated by Pharaoh Akhenaten (1353-1336 BC) to the position of the only god, creator of the universe.
Atum or Atum (Ra)- deity of the sun, supreme ruler of the gods, first lord of the Ennead (tribunal of nine gods), creator of the universe and people.
This is the first divine being who stands on a primordial hill in the midst of chaos and relies on Heki's magical powers to create all the other gods.
Bastet (Bast)- a beautiful goddess of cats, mistress of women's secrets, childbirth, fertility and protection of the home from evil or misfortune. She was the daughter of Ra and was closely related to Hathor.
Bastet was one of the most popular deities of ancient Egypt. The Persians used Egyptian devotion to the cat goddess to their advantage, winning the Battle of Pelusium. They painted images of Bastet on their shields, knowing that the Egyptians would rather surrender than offend their goddess.
Bes (Besu, Beza)- guardian of childbirth, fertility, sexuality, humor and war. He is one of the most popular gods Egyptian history, who protected women and children and fought for divine order and justice.
Geb- deity of the earth and growing plants.
Gore — early god birds, who became one of the most important deities in Ancient Egypt. Associated with the sun, sky, strength. Horus acted as the patron of the pharaoh of Egypt already in the First Dynasty (approximately 3150-2890 BC). When Horus came of age, he fought with his uncle for the kingdom and won, restoring order to the land.
The pharaohs of Egypt, with a few exceptions, associated themselves with Horus in life and with Osiris in death. The king was considered the living embodiment of Horus.
Imhotep- one of the few people deified by the Egyptians. He was the court architect of Amonhotep III (1386-1353 BC).
He was considered so wise that after his death, several centuries later, Imhotep became a living god. He had big temple at Thebes with a healing center in Deir el-Bahri.
Isis- the most powerful goddess in Egyptian history. She was associated with almost all aspects human life and in time rose to the position of the supreme deity of the "Mother of Deities" who cared for her fellow creatures.
She is the ancestor of the First Five Gods.
Maat- goddess of truth, justice, harmony, one of the most important deities in the Egyptian pantheon. She created the stars in the sky, created the seasons.
Ma'at embodies the principle of ma'at (harmony), which was central to the culture of ancient Egypt. She is depicted as a woman wearing a crown with an ostrich feather.
Mafdet- the goddess of truth and justice, who pronounced condemnation and quickly carried out executions. Her name means "She Who Runs" and was given to her for the speed with which she delivered justice.
Mafdet protected people from poisonous bites, especially from scorpions.
Mertseger (Meritseger)- the goddess of the ancient Egyptian religion, responsible for the protection and protection of the huge Theban necropolis located on the western bank of the Nile.
Meskhenet- goddess of childbirth. Meskhenet is present at the birth of a person, creates “ka” (aspect of the soul) and inhales into the body.
She is also present at the judgment of the soul during the onset of the afterlife as a comforter.
Min — ancient god fertility, the deity of the eastern deserts, who watched over travelers. The Ming were also associated with the black fertile mud of the Egyptian delta.
Mnevis- bull god, embodiment of the sun, son of the sun, god of the city of Heliopolis, son of Hesat (Heavenly Cow).
Montu is a falcon god who came to prominence in the 11th Dynasty at Thebes (c. 2060-1991 BC). All three dynasties of pharaohs took his name.
He eventually became associated with Ra as a composite version of the sun god Amun-Ra.
Mut- an early mother goddess who most likely played a minor role in the period 6000-3150. BC e.
During the Late Period, Mut became the prominent wife of Amun and mother of Khonsu, part of the Theban Triad.
Nate- one of the oldest deities of ancient Egypt, who was worshiped since early period(approximately 6000-3150 BC) to the Ptolemaic dynasty (323-30 BC). Neith was the goddess of war, motherhood, and funeral ritual.
She was the most important goddess of Lower Egypt in early history. In early images she is holding a bow and arrows.
Nepri– controlled grain, god of the harvest. Nepri is often depicted as a man completely covered with ripe ears of cereals. The hieroglyphs that spell his name also include grain symbols.
Nephthys- goddess of burial ritual. Her name means "Mistress of the Temple" or "Mistress of the House", referring to the heavenly house or temple.
She is depicted as a woman with a house on her head.
Nehebkau is a protective god who joins the “ka” (soul aspect) to the body at birth and unites “ka” with “ba” (the winged aspect of the soul) after death.
He is depicted as the serpent that swam in the primordial waters at the dawn of creation, before Atum rose from chaos to create order.
Chickpeas- in ancient Egyptian religion, the goddess of the sky, daughter of Shu and Tefnut, wife of Geb.
Ogdoad- eight gods representing the original elements of creation: Nu, Naunet (water); Heh, Howet (infinity); Kek, Kauket (darkness); Amun and Amonet (secrecy, obscurity).
Osiris- judge of the dead. His name means "Mighty One". Was originally a fertility god who grew in popularity through the Osiris myths, in which he was killed by his brother, Set.
In the Egyptian Book of the Dead he is often mentioned as a fair judge.
Ptah (Ptah) is one of the oldest Egyptian gods, appearing in the First Dynastic Period (approximately 3150-2613 BC).
Ptah was the great god of Memphis, the creator of the world, the lord of truth. He was the patron god of sculptors and artisans, as well as monument builders.
Ra- the great sun god of Heliopolis, whose cult spread throughout Egypt, becoming most popular during the Fifth Dynasty (2498-2345 BC).
He is the supreme lord and creator god who rules over the earth. He pilots his boat of the sun across the heavens during the day, revealing another aspect of himself with each movement of the disc across the sky, and then dives into the underworld in the evening when the boat is threatened by the snake Apep (Apophis).
Renenutet- a goddess depicted as a cobra or cobra with the head of a woman. Her name means "Snake that feeds." The renetute was in charge of raising and caring for children.
It was believed to protect the clothing worn by the pharaoh in the afterlife. In this capacity, she appeared as a fire cobra that drove away the enemies of the pharaoh.
Sebek- an important deity of protection in the form of a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. Sebek was the god of water, but was also associated with medicine, particularly surgery.
His name means "crocodile". Sebek was the ruler of the swamps and any other wet areas of Egypt.
Serket (Selket)- goddess of burial, first mentioned during (from 6000-3150 BC) the first dynasty of Egypt (approximately 3150-2890 BC).
She is known from a golden statue found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. Serket was a scorpion goddess, depicted as a woman with scorpions on her head.
Seth (Seth)- god of the desert, storm, disorder, violence, and foreigners in ancient Egyptian religion.
Sekhmet- one of the most significant representatives of the pantheon of ancient Egypt. Sekhmet was a lion deity, usually depicted as a woman with the head of a lion.
Her name means "Powerful" and is usually interpreted as "The Mighty Feminine." She was the goddess of destruction, healing, desert winds, cool breezes.
Seshat- was the goddess of written words and precise measurements.
Sopdu- protective lord of the eastern border of Egypt, guarding outposts, soldiers on the border. He is depicted as a falcon with a ring above his right wing or as a bearded man wearing a crown with two feathers.
Tatenen- the earthly lord, who personified the primary mound during creation, symbolized the land of Egypt.
Taurt- is the protective ancient Egyptian goddess of childbirth and fertility.
Tefnut- creator of moisture, sister of Shu, daughter of Atum (Ra) at the creation of the world. Shu and Tefnut were Atum's first two daughters, created by mating with his shadow. Tefnut is the goddess of the atmosphere of the lower world, the earth.
That- Egyptian lord of writing, magic, god of wisdom and god of the moon. Patron of all scientists, officials, libraries, guardian of state and world order.
He was one of the most important deities Ancient Egypt, who alternately said that he was self-created or born from the seed of Horus from the forehead of Set.
Wadget- is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royalty and good health.
Upout is the oldest depiction of the jackal god, predating Anubis, with whom he is often confused.
Phoenix- an avian deity, better known as the Bennu bird, the divine bird of creation. The Bennu bird was closely connected with Atum, Ra, Osiris.
Hapi- deity of fertility, patron of crops. He appears in the drawings as a man with large breasts, as well as a belly, which means fertility, success.
Hathor- one of the most famous, most popular deities of Ancient Egypt, the goddess of love.
Very ancient goddess, the heavenly cow who gave birth to the sun. She was endowed with the most diverse abilities.
Hekat- patron of magic and medicine. He was present during the act of creation.
Khepri- solar god, depicted with the form of a scarab beetle.
Hershef (Herishef) — main god the city of Heracleopolis, where he was worshiped as the creator of the world.
Khnum- one of the earliest known Egyptian deities, originally the god of the sources of the Nile, depicted with the head of a ram.
Khonsou- god of the moon, dimensions and time. Son of Amon and Mut or Sebek and Hathor. Khonsu's task is to observe the passage of time.
Choir- the national guardian of the ancient Egyptians, the god of the sky and sun, who has the appearance of a falcon.
He was usually depicted as a man with a falcon's head, wearing a red and white crown, as a symbol of kingship over the entire kingdom of Egypt.
Chenenet (Rattaoui)- goddess-wife of the god Montu. Was associated with the cult of the sun.
Shai Shai- was the deification of the concept of fate.
Shu- one of the original Egyptian gods, the personification of dry air.
Ennead- the nine main gods in Ancient Egypt, originally arose in the city of Heliopolis. Includes the nine first gods of this city: Nephthys, Atum, Shu, Geb, Nut, Tefnut, Set, Osiris, Isis.
Thus egyptian pantheon was clearly divided into numerous roles. Often different deities merged and changed their meaning.
In the ancient world, people worshiped the sun as a deity, because it was the sun that brought light and warmth, driving away the darkness of night and cold. It is not surprising that the sun god Ra was the most revered in the pantheon of Egyptian gods.
The formation of the cult of the Egyptian god Ra
The name Ra was written in Egypt without a vowel, so the sun god is also called Re (or Re). This name was mysterious as well as magical. With the help of his name, Ra kept the whole world in subjection. Ra is translated as sun. The sun god was depicted as a falcon, less often as a giant cat, sometimes as a man with a falcon's head and a solar disk (like the god Horus).
The ancient city of Egypt Heliopolis was called the city of the sun, because it was here that the cult of the god Ra originated and was the center. Now the remains of this city are located near the suburbs of Cairo. When Ancient Egypt united its territories and the Ancient Kingdom was formed, the pharaoh became the head of all the cults of the gods , that is, deified. The dynasty from Heliopolis (V Dynasty of the Old Kingdom) rose in the 26th-25th centuries BC. Accordingly, the god of this city was exalted. The pharaohs called themselves the sons of Ra - “sa Ra”.
In other cities, Ra was identified with the local sun gods. For example, in the city of Thebes, Ra was united with Amon and called Amon-Ra, in Elephantine with Khnum - Khnuma-Ra, but the most widespread was Ra-Horakhty - the union of Horus and Ra.
Initially, Ra acted as the god of the deceased king, but at a later time the god Osiris became the “main” in the afterlife. All the same, the sun god played an important role, as he provided warmth and light to the dead and participated in the trial of people.
In parallel with the cult of Ra, there was the worship of the Sun goddess Mafdet, who was depicted as a female cheetah. In that era, when Ancient Egypt had not yet united into the mighty Ancient Kingdom (that is, before the reign of the pharaonic dynasties), the Egyptians revered two other sun gods - Horus and Ver. Horus (horus) was directly the god of the sun, and Ver was the god of Light and Sky, but since the image of these two gods was the same (falcon), their images gradually merged into one - Harver.
Around the same period of time, the god Khepri (morning sun) began to be identified with the god Ra, who became one of the hypostases of the sun god. With the growing importance and strengthening of the solar cult, Ra becoming the main god of all Egypt, all of his hypostases were revered. There were four of them: Ra himself, “young Ra” in the form of Khepri, as well as two sides of Horus (Horus) - Harmachis and Horakhte.
The worship of Ra displaced the cult of the goddess Mafdet into the background, but her image as a cheetah influenced the image of Ra. On some historical monuments he is represented as a giant cat. There are more than 20 hypostases of the sun god, who was depicted as a man with the head of a falcon.
At the end of the reign of the XI and the beginning of the XII Dynasty, the city of Thebes became the new capital. And in this city the main god of the sun was Amon. He was supposed to become the main one in the pantheon of Egyptian gods, but the worship of the god Ra already had deep roots, so gradually, over time, a merger occurred and the appearance of a completely new god - Amon-Ra. In turn, Ra and Amon still existed separately from each other.
During the New Kingdom, priests tried to systematize the numerous pantheon of Egyptian gods, but the god Amun-Ra remained the main one.
Analogous to the Egyptian sun god in myths Ancient Greece was Helios.
Symbol of the power of Ra
God Ra was depicted with an unusual object in his hands. It is called Ankh (Ankh). This symbol was almost the most significant hieroglyph among the ancient Egyptians. It has been called the key of life or the key of the Nile, as well as the bow of life, the knot of life, the Egyptian cross, and the looped cross. Many names are due to the fact that in the images the god Ra holds in his hand a cross, which is crowned with a ring.
The meaning of the ankh is still controversial among Egyptologists, as well as other researchers and scientists. Today there are many different interpretations of this symbol. Since the ankh is similar to christian cross, he entered Coptic symbolism as a symbol of power and eternal life. The ankh was also considered a sign of protection, a symbol of wisdom, eternity and immortality. It can be found in images painted on all kinds of objects, on the walls of temples, on amulets, etc. This ancient symbol was actively used by the ancient Egyptians.
Myths about the Egyptian sun god Ra
God Ra was considered the creator of the whole world. People emerged from the tears of God. The sun god created the moon (god Thoth) in order to rest himself. When the earth god Geb quarreled with the sky goddess Nut, Ra ordered them to be separated. Thanks to this, the earth and sky appeared.
The mother of the sun god Nut swallows her son every day in the evening, and the next morning Ra is born, appearing on a lotus flower on the top of a hill from Nun - the primeval chaos. According to another legend, the fiery island, from which the sun god arose, gave him the power to destroy darkness and chaos and bring order to the world. His daughter, the goddess of truth and justice Maat, helped him in this. According to myths, she always stands at the bow of his boat.
During the day, Ra moves along the celestial river (Nile) in the boat Manjet and illuminates everything around. Towards evening, another boat awaits him - Mesektet, in which he descends into the underworld (underworld). There he fights the forces of darkness and evil in the form of the serpent Apophis. Having won the victory, in the morning he appears in all his grandeur on the horizon.
God Ra rules all gods and the world like a pharaoh. From his boat he can see everything that happens on earth. Through the god Hu (god divine word), as well as the goddess of wisdom Sia, Ra sorts out complaints and gives instructions. The moon god Thoth is the highest official, he seals letters and writes orders.
The solar disk, depicted above the head of the sun god, was considered the visible part of the owner of the sky (stomach), sometimes interpreted as his Eye.
Eyes of the sun god Ra
In the culture and art of Egypt there were certain symbols that decorated amulets, clothing, dishes, steles, boats and even the sarcophagi of the pharaohs. The most powerful of all were the eyes of the god Ra. In general, they lived their own lives, sometimes regardless of Ra himself.
Studying various translations of ancient Egyptian texts, as well as myths and legends, scientists came to the conclusion that the Eyes of Ra are the main actor. Sometimes, they are passed on to each other, or they themselves become individual heroes and work miracles.
If you lose your eyes, you will become weak and defenseless. The myth of Osiris speaks about this. His evil brother Set does not kill his nephew Horus (Horus), but tears out his eye. Isis (wife of Osiris) asks the god Ra for help and receives it. Horus defeats Seth and, with the help of the magic Eye, brings his father back to life.
The right eye - the divine serpent Uraeus, adorned the bridge of the nose of any pharaoh in the form of the “Right (burning) Eye of Ra”, its ability was to disperse enemies and opponents.
Later Egyptian myths attributed the left eye to the god Horus, son of the goddess Isis. Horus inherited the Eye, and it was associated with the art of healing. With the help of this eye, Horus healed his father Osiris, allowing the latter to swallow him. The origins of this myth are hidden in many millennia.
In the myth of punishment, the eye lived its own life. Based on this legend, the sun god Ra created the universe, which was considered the first and different from our world. He peacefully ruled the first people created from his own Eye, as well as the gods. A lot of time passed and God began to grow old.
People felt that Ra was becoming weaker and began to plan a plot to overthrow him. But God had supernatural insight and was able to discern evil intentions. Ra decided to punish the conspirators. Having gathered a council of gods and discussed the current situation, the sun god threw his Eye at the troublemakers and it became his furious daughter Sekhmet (according to other sources, Hathor).
According to another myth, Ra himself gave his right Eye (Urea) to the goddess Basti (goddess of joy and fun). He did this so that she could protect him from his main enemy - the snake Apep.
The goddess Tefnut was identified with the Eye of Ra. One day Tefnut became angry with God and left her father. Having gone into the desert, the goddess wandered alone in the form of a lioness. The sun god yearned for his daughter because he needed her, because she protected him from his enemies.
During the reign of the fifth dynasty, the god Ra was erected the tetrahedral obelisk Ben-Ben, which was his fetish. The solar disk aroused keen interest and fanatical worship among all peoples; the ancient Egyptians were no exception; on the contrary, it was in this the sun god was the most revered.
Ra (or Re) – ancient egyptian god sun. By the era of the V dynasty (XXV-XXIV centuries BC) he became one of the main gods of the Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the midday sun.
In later Egyptian dynasties, Ra was united with the god Horus (Horus) in the cult of Ra-Horakhty ("Ra, who is Horus of the two horizons"). He was believed to rule all parts of the world: heaven, earth and the underworld. Ra was associated with a falcon or hawk. When the cult of the god Amun rose in the era of the New Kingdom, he merged with Ra as Amon-Ra. During the Amarna period, Pharaoh Akhenaten suppressed the cult of Ra for the sake of another solar deity, Aten, the deified solar disk, but after the death of Akhenaten the worship of Amun-Ra was restored.
The cult of the black bull Mnevis, the incarnation of Ra, had its center in Heliopolis, to the north of which there was a special cemetery for sacrificed bulls.
The Egyptians believed that all life forms were created by Ra, who called each of them into existence by pronouncing their secret names. Man was created from the tears and sweat of Ra, which is why the Egyptians called themselves “The Cattle of Ra.” In the myth of Heavenly Cow it tells how people plotted against Ra and how he sent your eye, in the form of the goddess Sekhmet, to punish them. Then Ra calmed the furious Sekhmet by giving her beer mixed with red paint instead of blood.
Ra - sun god in the religion of Ancient Egypt
Functions of the god Ra
Ra and the sun
For the ancient Egyptians, the sun was primarily a source of light, warmth and growth of living things. This made him a very important deity - the ruler of everything he created. The solar disk was considered the body or eye of Ra. Ra was the father Shu And Tefnut- god of the wind and goddess of the rain. The goddess Sekhmet, depicted as a fierce lioness, was born from the fire of the Eye of Ra.
Ra in the Underworld
According to ancient egyptian mythology, Ra travels on two solar boats: the morning one - Manjet (Boat of Millions of Years) and the evening one - Mesektet. In them he makes his way across the sky and across Duatu- Underworld. While in the Mesektet boat, Ra takes on the appearance of a ram, identified with the god Atum. On trips on the solar boat, Ra is accompanied by divine energies: Sia (perception), Hu (command) and Heka ( Magic force). Sometimes members of the Ennead (Nine major Egyptian gods) helped him on these travels. The god Set defeated the serpent Apophis, who was trying to swallow Ra, and the god Mehen protected Ra from the monsters of the underworld.
Apophis, the god of chaos, a huge serpent, tries every night to stop Ra’s boat by swallowing it or bewitching it with a hypnotic gaze. The night boat Mesektet carries Ra through the underworld back to the east. Ancient Egyptian myths about Ra represented the rising of the sun as his rebirth by the sky goddess Nut. Thus, Ra was credited with constant rebirth and renewal, which strengthened his connection with creative forces.
Ra as Creator
The ancient Egyptians worshiped Ra as the Creator God. This side of his cult was especially strong in Heliopolis. It was believed that Ra created man from his tears while crying. Admirers of Ra said that he created himself, while adherents of another ancient cult, the god Ptah, believed that Ptah was the creator of Ra. In one excerpt from Books of the Dead, Ra cuts himself and his blood turns into two spiritual personifications: Hu (will) and Sia (mind). Ra was also recognized as the creator of the seasons, months, plants and animals.
The appearance and images of Ra
God Ra was represented in various forms. His usual image was a man with the head of a falcon and a solar disk entwined with a snake on top of it. In other cases, Ra was depicted as a man with the head of a beetle (Khepri), or a man with the head of a ram. Ra also had the appearance of a well-fed ram, a beetle, Phoenix birds, heron, snake, bull, cat, lion.
It was believed that in the Underworld he takes the form of a ram. In this form, Ra was called the "ram of the west."
In some works of Egyptian literature, Ra is described as an elderly king with golden flesh, silver bones and lapis lazuli hair.
Ra with the goddess Imentet. Image from the tomb of Ramses II's main wife Nefertari. XIII century BC
Cult of Ra
The main cult center of Ra was Iunu (“Place of the Obelisk”), later called by the Greeks Heliopolis (“City of the Sun”). Now it is one of the suburbs of Cairo. In Iunu he was identified with the local sun god Atum. Like Atum or Atum-Ra he was considered the head Enneads(“Nines” of the main gods), which also included Shu and Tefnut, Geb and Chickpeas, Osiris and Isis, Set and Nephthys. The holiday of the “meeting of Ra” was celebrated on May 26 according to the Gregorian calendar.
His cult in Heliopolis began to intensify around the Second Dynasty of Pharaohs, which proclaimed Ra as the solar god. The pharaohs of the IV dynasty were considered the incarnations of this god on earth and called themselves “sons of Ra.” The veneration of Ra further increased during the V Dynasty, when Ra became the state deity and the pharaohs erected special pyramids, obelisks and solar temples in his honor. The rulers of the Fifth Dynasty claimed that each of them was born from Ra himself and the wife of the Heliopolis high priest. These pharaohs spent enormous sums on temples of the Sun. Then the first Pyramid Texts began to appear, giving Ra more and more importance in the pharaoh's journey through the underworld.
During the Middle Kingdom, Ra began to be actively combined with other important deities, especially Amun and Osiris.
During the New Kingdom, the worship of Ra became more complex and grand. The walls of the tombs were covered with detailed texts that recounted Ra's journey through the underworld. They claimed that Ra carried in his boat the prayers and blessings of the living along with the souls of the dead.
The service of Ra was accompanied by hymns, prayers and incantations in order to help this god and his solar boat triumph over the serpent Apep.
The establishment of Christianity in the Roman Empire put an end to the worship of Ra in Egypt. The cult of Ra now began to arouse only academic interest, even among the Egyptian priests.
Ra and other Egyptian gods
Ra's personal traits were often combined with those of other gods in fused religious images.
Amon-Ra
The god Amun was a member of the Theban Ogdoad ("Eight of Gods"). His cult probably came from Amaunet, the oldest divine patron of Thebes. Amon was also a creator god who created everything with the help of his breath, and at first was more associated with the wind rather than the sun. Over time, Amun began to be revered in Upper (Southern) Egypt as much as Ra in Lower (Northern) Egypt. Eventually they were united in the form of Amun-Ra, solar god-creator. It is difficult to establish when this combination first arose, but references to Amun-Ra are already present in the Pyramid Texts of the early fifth dynasty. The new kingdom arose as a result of the struggle for the unification of Egypt from the south, and the rulers of the 18th dynasty began to support the cult of Amun-Ra in order to unite southern Amun with the previous beliefs in Ra. Amun-Ra received the official title of "king of the gods", and was depicted as a man with red eyes and a lion's head surrounded by a solar disk.
Atum-Ra
Atum-Ra (or Ra-Atum) was another "composite" god. WITH Atum Ra had more similarities than Amon. Atum was more closely associated with the sun and was sometimes recognized as the creator of the Ennead. Both Ra and Atum were considered the fathers of the gods and pharaohs, and both were widely revered. In a number ancient myths Atum, like Ra, was called the creator of Tefnut and Shu, and he himself was born from the “ocean of chaos” - Nun.
In late Egyptian mythology, the word "Ra-Horakhty" was more of a title or attribute than a composite deity. This word is translated as "Ra (who is) the Choir of Horizons." This image established a connection between Horakhti (the sunrise associated with Horus) and Ra. The image of Ra-Horakhty symbolized the path of the sun-Ra from horizon to horizon, emphasizing the aspect of Ra as the deity of hope and rebirth.
Ra-Horakhti, ca. II century BC
Ra, Khepri and Khnum
Khepri there was a scarab beetle that rolled the sun into the sky in the morning and was sometimes seen as the morning manifestation of Ra. IN Khnume, the ram-headed god, saw the evening manifestation of Ra. The idea of different deities (or different aspects of Ra) embodying different parts of the day was quite common. With such a detailed distinction, Khepri and Khnum personified the rising and setting of the sun, and Ra was often seen as the sun's peak at noon. Sometimes different aspects of Horus were associated with these same daytime periods.
Rat Taui
Rath or Rat-Taui was the female incarnation of Ra, who had little independent significance. In some myths, she was considered the wife of Ra or his daughter.
Gods created by Ra
Bast
Bast(Bastet), sometimes called the “cat of Ra.” She was also considered his daughter and was associated with the “vengeful function” of the Eye of Ra. Bast became famous for beheading the serpent Apophis (the sworn enemy of Ra, the “god” of Chaos). In one myth, Ra sends Bast as a lioness to Nubia.
Sekhmet
Another daughter of Ra is a goddess Sekhmet, often identified with Hathor. She is depicted as a lioness or a big cat and is also the “Eye of Ra” - the instrument of revenge of the sun god. In one myth, Sekhmet becomes so filled with anger that Ra is forced to turn her into a harmless cow. In another myth, Ra fears a plot against him by humanity and sends Hathor to destroy the human race. The next morning, Sekhmet-Hathor goes to finish the job of destruction and drinks what she thinks is blood. But this liquid turns out to be red beer, and the intoxicated Sekhmet does not have the strength to finish the massacre. In one papyrus calendar of lucky and unlucky days, Sekhmet, Horus, Ra and Buto are associated with the eclipsing binary star Algol.
Hathor
Hathor- another daughter of Ra, who is sometimes identified with Sekhmet. As stated above, she either as the embodiment of Sekhmet, or together with her, participated in an attempt to exterminate humanity hostile to her father. In one myth, Hathor, in order to cure Ra of a fit of irritation, dances naked in front of him until he begins to laugh. When Ra is deprived of Hathor, he falls into deep sadness.
Rival gods of Ra
Pta
Ptah is rarely mentioned in pyramid literature Old Kingdom. According to some, this is the result of hostility towards Ptah of the Heliopolitan worshipers of Ra, who were the main compilers of these inscriptions. The followers of Ra treated Ptah with jealous envy. They believed that Ra created himself, but others believed that Ptah created him.
Isis
Isis often plotted against Ra, because she wanted to elevate her son Horus. In one myth, Isis created a serpent to poison Ra, and gave him the antidote only when he revealed his true name. Ra began to fear Isis, because, knowing his secret name, she could use all his power against him - and deliver Horus the throne of the king of the gods.
Apep
The serpent Apep, also called Apophis, was the god of chaos and Ra's most dangerous enemy. They said that it lies just below the horizon and tries to devour Ra as soon as he descends into the underworld. When Apep begins to swallow Ra, the sun begins to set, and when he swallows him almost entirely, night falls. But he never manages to swallow Ra completely. In the end, Apep spits the sun god back out - and the sunrise begins.