Ra (Re)

At a glance

History, context & interpretation

Mythology and identity

Supreme sun god who traveled across the sky by day and through the underworld by night, battling the serpent Apophis so the sun would rise again. Often shown with a falcon head and solar disc.

Attributed roles

In Egyptian traditions, Ra (Re) is associated with Sun, creation, kingship. Different periods and sources may describe these roles differently.

Explore associated texts

Related works in this archive include Pyramid Texts, Coffin Texts, Book of the Dead, Maxims of Ptahhotep, Great Hymn to the Aten. Refer to each article for authorship, dating and surviving textual evidence.

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Sources and further reading

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra

Historical descriptions are educational summaries. Religious traditions, scholarly interpretations and unverified claims are distinguished where possible; imagery may be illustrative rather than an artifact photograph.