Ra

(Ancient Egyptian God)

Ra or Re, in ancient Egyptian mythology, sun god depicted with a human body and the head of a hawk. Ra was usually considered the creator and controller of the universe, his chief symbols being the sun disk and the obelisk. Originally a local cult, the worship of Ra first became widespread during the Old Kingdom in Egypt. The chief temple of Ra was at the city of Heliopolis, which became an important center when the cult was adopted as a state religion. Ra later became associated with other important deities, particularly Amon and Horus.

Suggested Reading:

• Legends of the Egyptian Gods ; by Sir E.A.Wallis Budge, Dover Publications, Inc. (1994).

• The Book of the Dead ; by Sir E.A.Wallis Budge, Arkana Publishing (?).

• Ancient Egyptian Magic ; by Dr. Bob Brier, Quill Publishing (1981).