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'''Ra''' or '''Rē''' was the ancient Egyptian deity of the [[sun]]. By the Fifth Dynasty, in the 25th and 24th centuries BC, he had become one of the most important gods in ancient [[Egyptian religion]], identified primarily with the noon-day sun. Ra ruled in all parts of the created world: the sky, the earth, and the underworld. He was the god of the sun, order, kings and the sky. | '''Ra''' or '''Rē''' was the ancient Egyptian deity of the [[sun]]. By the Fifth Dynasty, in the 25th and 24th centuries BC, he had become one of the most important gods in ancient [[Egyptian religion]], identified primarily with the noon-day sun. Ra ruled in all parts of the created world: the sky, the earth, and the underworld. He was the god of the sun, order, kings and the sky. | ||
Ra was portrayed as a falcon and shared characteristics with the sky-god [[Horus]]. At times the two deities were merged as Ra-Horakhty, "Ra, who is Horus of the Two Horizons." In the New Kingdom, when the god Amun rose to prominence he was fused with Ra as [[Amun-Ra]]. The cult of the Mnevis bull, an embodiment of Ra, had its center in Heliopolis and there was a formal burial ground for the sacrificed bulls north of the city. | Ra was portrayed as a falcon and shared characteristics with the sky-god [[Horus]]. At times the two deities were merged as Ra-Horakhty, "Ra, who is Horus of the Two Horizons." In the New Kingdom, when the god Amun rose to prominence he was fused with Ra as [[Amun-Ra]]. The [[cult]] of the Mnevis bull, an embodiment of Ra, had its center in Heliopolis and there was a formal burial ground for the sacrificed bulls north of the city. | ||
All forms of life were believed to have been created by Ra. In some accounts, humans were created from Ra's tears and sweat, hence the Egyptians call themselves the "Cattle of Ra." In the myth of the Celestial Cow, it is recounted how mankind plotted against Ra and how he sent his eye as the goddess Sekhmet to punish them. | All forms of life were believed to have been created by Ra. In some accounts, humans were created from Ra's tears and sweat, hence the Egyptians call themselves the "Cattle of Ra." In the myth of the Celestial Cow, it is recounted how mankind plotted against Ra and how he sent his eye as the goddess Sekhmet to punish them. | ||
==Iconography== | ==Iconography== | ||
Ra was represented in a variety of forms, often as a falcon adorned with a sun disk between his horns with a Cobra around it, sharing many characteristics with the sky-god [[Horus]]. | Ra was represented in a variety of forms, often as a falcon adorned with a [[sun]] disk between his horns with a Cobra around it, sharing many characteristics with the sky-god [[Horus]]. | ||
Other common forms are a man with the head of a beetle (in his form as Khepri), or a man with the head of a ram. Ra was also pictured as a full-bodied ram, beetle, phoenix, heron, serpent, bull, cat, or lion, among others. He was most commonly featured with a ram's head in the Underworld. In this form, Ra is described as being the "ram of the west" or "ram in charge of his harem." | Other common forms are a man with the head of a beetle (in his form as Khepri), or a man with the head of a ram. Ra was also pictured as a full-bodied ram, beetle, phoenix, heron, serpent, bull, cat, or lion, among others. He was most commonly featured with a ram's head in the Underworld. In this form, Ra is described as being the "ram of the west" or "ram in charge of his harem." | ||
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The primary cultic center of Ra was Iunu "the Place of Pillars," later known to the Ptolemaic Kingdom as Heliopolis, located in the suburbs of modern Cairo. He was identified with the local sun god Atum. As Atum or Atum-Ra, he was reckoned the first being and the originator of the Ennead ("The Nine"), consisting of Shu and Tefnut, [[Geb]] and [[Nut]], Osiris, [[Set]], [[Isis]] and [[Nephthys]]. The holiday of "The Receiving of Ra" was celebrated on May 26 in the [[Gregorian calendar]]. | The primary cultic center of Ra was Iunu "the Place of Pillars," later known to the Ptolemaic Kingdom as Heliopolis, located in the suburbs of modern Cairo. He was identified with the local sun god Atum. As Atum or Atum-Ra, he was reckoned the first being and the originator of the Ennead ("The Nine"), consisting of Shu and Tefnut, [[Geb]] and [[Nut]], Osiris, [[Set]], [[Isis]] and [[Nephthys]]. The holiday of "The Receiving of Ra" was celebrated on May 26 in the [[Gregorian calendar]]. | ||
Ra's local cult began to grow from roughly the Second Dynasty, establishing him as a sun-deity. By the Fourth Dynasty, pharaohs were seen as Ra's manifestations on Earth, referred to as "Sons of Ra." His worship increased massively in the Fifth Dynasty, when Ra became a state-deity and pharaohs had specially aligned pyramids, obelisks, and sun temples built in his honor. The rulers of the Fifth Dynasty told their followers that they were sons of Ra himself and the wife of the high priest of Heliopolis. These pharaohs spent much of Egypt's money on sun-temples. The first [[Pyramid Texts]] gave Ra more and more significance in the journey of the pharaoh through the Duat. | Ra's local [[cult]] began to grow from roughly the Second Dynasty, establishing him as a sun-deity. By the Fourth Dynasty, pharaohs were seen as Ra's manifestations on [[Earth]], referred to as "Sons of Ra." His worship increased massively in the Fifth Dynasty, when Ra became a state-deity and pharaohs had specially aligned pyramids, obelisks, and sun temples built in his honor. The rulers of the Fifth Dynasty told their followers that they were sons of Ra himself and the wife of the high priest of Heliopolis. These pharaohs spent much of Egypt's money on sun-temples. The first [[Pyramid Texts]] gave Ra more and more significance in the journey of the pharaoh through the Duat. | ||
At the time of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the worship of Ra had become more complicated and grander. The walls of tombs were dedicated to extremely detailed texts that depicted Ra's journey through the underworld. Ra was said to carry the prayers and blessings of the living with the souls of the dead on the sun-boat. The idea that Ra aged with the sun became more popular during the rise of the New Kingdom. | At the time of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the worship of Ra had become more complicated and grander. The walls of tombs were dedicated to extremely detailed texts that depicted Ra's journey through the underworld. Ra was said to carry the prayers and blessings of the living with the souls of the dead on the sun-boat. The idea that Ra aged with the sun became more popular during the rise of the New Kingdom. | ||