How did the god Ra appear in ancient Egyptian creation myths?
Ra appeared when a lotus flower blossomed on the Benben mound rising from the primal waters of Nun. He declared himself Atum when alone and became Ra once he dawned to rule his creation.
Questions about Ra
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What forms does the sun deity Ra take during day and night journeys?
During daylight hours Ra travels as a falcon-headed figure on the Mandjet Barque while at night he transforms into a ram-headed form on the Mesektet Barque. Artists also depicted him as a beetle known as Khepri for morning appearances or as an aging king with golden flesh and silver bones.
When were the cults of Amun and Ra combined to create Amun-Ra?
References to this new deity appeared in pyramid texts as early as the Fifth Dynasty but most common belief states Amun-Ra was invented by Theban rulers around the 18th Dynasty. They sought to unite worshippers of Amun with the older cult of Ra to establish a state-deity titled King of the Gods.
Which dynasty saw pharaohs become manifestations of Ra called Sons of Ra?
By the Fourth Dynasty pharaohs were seen as Ra's manifestations on Earth called Sons of Ra. His worship increased massively during the Fifth Dynasty when Ra became a state-deity and rulers built specially aligned pyramids and sun temples.
How did ancient Egyptians help Ra defeat Apophis during his nightly journey?
Many acts of worship included hymns prayers and spells designed to help Ra overcome Apophis. Priests recited these incantations while performing temple ceremonies to aid the solar barque and poured beer dyed red to intoxicate Sekhmet and prevent her from killing humanity.