Ra, the brilliant sun god, presented his eternal light upon Egypt, guiding a civilization toward spiritual enlightenment and prosperity.
In the vast pantheon of ancient Egyptian gods, few deities held as much significance as Ra, the sun god and creator. The Egyptian God Ra was worshipped as the supreme god and the bringer of light and life. This article delves into the rich mythology and cultural importance of God Ra in ancient Egypt, exploring his role in creation, his associations with the sun, and his enduring legacy in Egyptian society.
Who was God Ra?
God Ra, the sun god, was an important part of the Egyptian pantheon. Throughout uncountable dynasties, Ra was a continuous figure of adoration whose role shifted as newer gods were incorporated into the state religion. Ra had some origin stories. He was either self-created or one step removed from the universe’s creation. Regardless of the origin story, Egyptian mythology maintained that most of the chief Egyptian gods were direct descendants of Ra.
The Majestic god Ra
Nomination of God Ra
Ra’s name in ancient Egyptian means “sun.” Egyptian gods, like many other myths, had various names. Ra had numerous additional names, including Re, Amun-Re, Khepri, Ra-Horakhty, and Atum. Each of these names was associated with a particular aspect of Ra’s personality. As the ancient Egyptians integrated new deities and religions, such names arose frequently.
Family of God Ra
Ra created his children Shu and Tefnut by auto-procreation. Shu was the air deity, while Tefnut was the mist goddess.
Ra had a specific connection to maat, a crucial mythical notion, as the deity of kings and order.
Maat was both the Egyptian word for “truth, righteousness, justice, order, cosmic law and balance” and the goddess who embodied these principles. The goddess Maat was supposed to have been Ra’s beloved daughter.
God Ra and his divine kin
The Main Center of God Ra
The worship of God Ra most likely began in the Egyptian town of Iunu. The Greeks called this location Heliopolis, or “city of the sun god.” This ancient city was situated in what is now a northern Cairo suburb.
Attributes of Ra God
While Ra God was most known as the Egyptian creator deity, he also played other roles. His other titles included sun god, deity of order, and god of kings.
Ra can be represented in a variety of ways. He was most often shown as a solar disk, a circle painted over the heads of several sun gods. Ra was also frequently shown as a guy with a falcon’s head.
Ra was occasionally represented as a scarab beetle, particularly in his morning iteration, Khepri. The Egyptians would notice the beetle assertive a ball of dung across the sands and hiding it before newborn beetles emerged from the earth. This process reflected the journey of the sun as it moved across the sky, only to be recreated the next day.
Ra, the Composite God
Ra as the central figure in Egyptian pantheon
The Egyptian religion was extraordinarily long-lived, and changes were made to it over thousands of years as successive groups ascended to or fell from power. Ra had long been a significant deity in the religion, and his central position made him a desirable choice for uniting with emerging deities. Ra has been merged so often that reports of a singular Ra are now relatively uncommon.
- Ra-Horakhty / Ra-Herakhty
Early in the history of Egyptian religion, Horus and Ra became conflated. The name Ra-Horakhty means “Ra-Horus of the Double Horizon” and represents the sun defeating its enemies during the night to rise once again. Ra-Horakhty combined Ra and Horus images, assuming the shape of a falcon crowned by a solar disk or, alternately, a winged solar disk.
Amun was one of Thebes’ most important gods, and it was during the time of Theban authority that Amun rose from relative obscurity to tremendous prominence. Amun had grown to national significance by the 18th Dynasty (1550-1292) and had totally combined with Ra.
When the two gods joined, most of the myths linked with Ra were rebranded as Amun-Ra mythology.
- Atum-Ra
Atum, like Amun, was a creation deity. Indeed, the myths surrounding Amun and Atum frequently overlapped, and the two deities effectively served as reflections of one another.
Atum, like Ra, was a solar god, but his duty was more specific. Atum embodied the dying sun and signified Ra’s aged component. As the god of the setting sun, he was frequently contrasted with Khepri, the god of the morning sun.
- Aten-Ra
Amun or Amun-Ra was the Egyptians’ principal deity when King Amenhotep IV assumed power (1351 BC or 1353 BC). This was reflected in the name Amenhotep, which signified “Amun is satisfied.” However, five years into his rule, Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaten. His new name meant “One effective on behalf of Aten,” reflecting his efforts to elevate Aten above Amun.
- Khepri
Khepri, yet another sun god, was associated with the early sun. Ra declared in the legend of Ra’s hidden name that he was Khepri in the morning.
Khepri was sometimes associated with Atum, and Atum-Khepri was honored as the god of personal transformations. Kheperu modifications included the journeys from childhood to adulthood and from life to death.
- Montu-Ra
Montu was another Theban god who was eventually combined with Ra. Montu, a falcon-headed star god, was Thebes’ primary deity and was regarded as an aspect of Ra from the twentieth century BC onward.
Montu-Ra was considered the god of Upper Egypt, whereas Atum-Ra was considered the god of Lower Egypt.
God Ra and Sekhmet & Destruction of Mankind
Ra and Sekhmet: An epic tale
Another well-known mythology describes how God Ra aged through time. Angered by human disloyalty, the god determined to exterminate all humanity on Earth. The god assigned Sekhmet as the Eye of Ra to do this mission. He turned Sekhmet into a wild lion. It allowed people to conspire against him and launch a rebellion.
As a result, the goddess went into a rage. She overcame her blood hunger and slaughtered humans, grateful to fill her greed. The other gods were finally shocked by the slaughter and demanded Ra to stop Sekhmet. So the sun god deceived Sekhmet into drinking a lot of alcohol and then returned her to the sky. After putting an end to the massacre, the sun god refused to remain among mankind and decided to leave Earth.
Leaving the earth led to a voyage to the underworld. Ra took 12 hours of the day by sailing through the sky from east to west on this journey. When Ra reached the west, he would leave the earth to enter the netherworld and create the 12 hours of the night. Here in the underworld, he would destroy the enemies of the creation and regenerate himself.
Conclusion
God Ra, the Egyptian sun god and creator, played a central role in ancient Egyptian mythology and culture. He was associated with light, life, and cosmic order, and his worship evolved over time, merging with other deities like Amun and Atum. Ra’s family connections and symbolism were integral to maintaining balance in the universe. His influence extended to art, architecture, and even the name “Egypt.” The complex mythology surrounding Ra, including the tale of Sekhmet and the destruction of mankind, highlighted his dual nature. Ra’s enduring legacy continues to shape our understanding of ancient Egypt.
