Ra

Ra was the most important god in ancient Egypt. He was the god of the sun and the king of all the gods. Every day, he sailed across the sky in a golden boat. The Egyptians believed Ra created the world and all living things.

The Sun's Journey

Each morning, Ra was born as the sun rose in the east. He sailed across the sky during the day in his golden boat. At night, he traveled through the dangerous underworld. He had to fight a giant serpent named Apophis every single night to bring the sun back.

Ra's Power

Ra was the creator of the world in Egyptian myths. He spoke the names of things, and they came into being. The pharaohs of Egypt called themselves sons of Ra. The great pyramids were built to help pharaohs join Ra in the sky after they died.

Fun Facts

• Ra had to battle the chaos serpent Apophis every night to bring back the sunrise.
• The Egyptian city of Heliopolis was the center of Ra worship.
• Ra was often shown with a falcon head and a sun disk on top.

Did You Know?

The Egyptians believed that when Ra cried, his tears became human beings. They thought people were literally made from the tears of the sun god!