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Sun mythology |
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Sun mythology - Introduction –
Sun mythology is associated with Ra, the sun god of Ancient Egypt. He is one of the most important gods in the religion of Ancient Egypt of Old Kingdom’s 5th dynasty. Ra is recognized mainly with Sun in noon. The primary cult centre of sun god was located in “City of the Sun” or Heliopolis. According to the Sun mythology, Ra was considered to be Horus in the Egyptian dynastic eras that followed the 5th dynasty. He was known as Re-Horakhty. Re-Horakhty ruled the earth, the sky and the underworld and is related to the falcon.
The Sun and the Ra –
The Sun mostly symbolized warmth, growth and light. Ra was thus very crucial to the ancient Egyptians. Ra was even believed to be the most powerful god who ruled other gods. The sun was in fact, thought to be the eye or body of Ra.
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In Sun mythology the sun was considered to move on a boat to guard its rays from the ancient waters in the underworld while it traveled through the underworld in the night hours. Ra moved in his boat with other gods and goddesses like Ma’at. This Egyptian god steered the boat on its course whereas Mehen and Set fought the monsters. Apep was one of these monsters – a serpent who attempted to check the journey of the boat by eating it. The Egyptians thus considered sunrise as the regeneration of sun through the sky - Nut. The notion of the Egyptians regarding the regeneration and revival of Ra reinforced his power of creation.
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Symbolism of Ra –
Ra is portrayed as a man with the sun disk and a crown like that of the pharaohs on his head. His head is like that of a falcon and of Horus also. Ra is also illustrated in various ways in accordance with the Sun’s position in the sky. At sunrise he is called Khepri, a young boy and at mid-day Harakhty - a man with a falcon’s head. He is named as Atum, an elder entity at sunset. Ra was depicted like this by the Egyptians as Ra remained aloof from the world and allowed Horus or Osiris to reign instead.
The ba of Ra is the Bennu bird, which represents regeneration and fire. The sun, symbolized life offered by Sun. The sunrays were depicted by the obelisk whereas Uranus, the cobra that covers the sun disk is Wadjet, an Egyptian goddess.
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