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Ra Facts & Worksheets

Ra is the Sun god, King of gods, and considered one of the most important of all the gods in Egyptian mythology

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In ancient Egypt, Ra was the sun god and served as the father of creation and ruler of the gods. He represented the sun, heaven, monarchy, strength, and light. He was the god who controlled the sun’s activities and could be the actual sun and the day.

See the fact file below for more information on Ra, or you can download our 29-page Ra worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Egyptian God

  • Ra could manifest himself in various ways when coupled with other deities and his various literal forms. 
  • He took the name Amun-Ra and symbolized the unadulterated, global might of the sun when associated with Amun, one of the great, mysterious creator deities.
  • As the Pharaoh of Egypt, Horus symbolized Ra in human form. When Ra and Horus were united, Ra-Horakhty, or “Ra-Horus on the horizon,” resulted. Sekhmet, his tenacious daughter, or Hathor, his devoted daughter, were other possible guises for Ra.
  • He repositioned the sun as the scarab beetle Khepri and returned it via the Underworld on a fabled boat.
  • Since the Egyptians were an agricultural culture in a desert, it should be no surprise that the sun, and by extension Ra, played a significant role in their universe and provided direction for their beliefs and behavior.

Religious Role – The Sun as Creator

  • The sun, which controls the ripening of crops cultivated by humans, is the source of life. Egyptians revered the sun as a deity because of its ability to sustain life.
  • Ra, as the sun, was the source of all energy and symbolized vitality, warmth, and expansion. Ra had a significant impact on the people since they saw him as a primary deity, the creator of the world, and the source of life. 
  • As a result, he was one of the most revered Egyptian deities and was given the title of King of the Gods.
  • Early in Egypt’s history, his influence expanded over the whole nation, bringing with it a variety of forms and names. 
  • He frequently takes the shape of a man with a falcon’s head because of his association with Horus, another sky deity.
  • The most frequent form pairings are with Atum – his human form, Khepri – the scarab beetle, and Horus – the falcon. 
  • A sun disc with a cobra, which in many mythologies represents the Eye of Ra, is perched on top of his head. 
  • At the start of time, when there was just chaos, the sun deity lived by himself in the watery Nun mass that covered the cosmos.
  • This text describes how Atum created everything in human form out of chaos and how Ra then started to rule the Earth where humans and divine entities coexisted: “I am Atum when he was by himself in Nun, I am Ra when he awoke, and I am Ra when he started to govern what he had created.” He made Tefnut, the goddess of wetness, and Shu, the deity of air.
  • The siblings represented life and rights, two fundamental human values (justice). Ra was thought to have called all life into existence by speaking their hidden names. 
  • According to certain myths, Ra’s tears and perspiration were used to make humanity.
  • In accordance with one tale, the sun deity conjured the first part of Earth from the watery mass of Nun. 
  • The story of the Celestial Cow describes how humans conspired against Ra and how he sent his eye, appearing as the goddess Sekhmet, to punish them.
  • The sky was considered to be a giant cow, the goddess Meht-urt. The Eye of Ra, a feminine representation of the sun god, was frequently shown as an extension of Ra’s might. 
  • Bastet, Sekhmet, and Hathor were three of Ra’s daughters, who were regarded as the Eye of Ra and would seek his retribution.
  • The fire in Ra’s eye gave birth to Sekhmet, the Eye of Ra. She was harsh and ordered to kill anyone who betrayed Ra, but when she was calm, she transformed into the more forgiving and compassionate goddess Hathor. 
  • Bastet, who was depicted as a cat, was seen as gentle and caring, unlike Sekhmet, who was a strong warrior and protector.

Religious Role – In the Underworld

  • The Mandjet – the Boat of Millions of Years, also known as the morning boat, and the Mesektet, sometimes the evening boat, are two solar barges collectively known as the Atet. 
  • These boats carried him on his voyage across the sky, and the Duat, the twelve hours of the night are also considered to represent the Underworld.
  • Ra sailed aboard his sun boat with several other gods, including Sia (perception), Hu (command), Heka, and others. 
  • Ra was on the Mesektet in his ram-headed form (magic power). 
  • He occasionally received assistance from Ennead members  (a group of nine mythology Egyptian deities), such as Set, who defeated the snake Apophis, and Mehen, who fought off the creatures of the Underworld.
  • Ra would use all his several guises while in the Underworld.
  • Every night, Apophis, the god of chaos (Isfet), tried to sabotage the sun-progress boat by devouring it or immobilizing it with a mesmerizing look. 
  • The Egyptians thought Ra rose in the evening as Atum or a ram. To be ready for his rebirth, the night boat would take him through the Underworld and back towards the east.
  • These Ra tales portrayed the rising sun as the sun being reborn by the sky goddess Nut, bolstering Ra’s position as a creator deity and the idea of rebirth and renewal.
  • While in the Underworld, Ra combined with the god of the dead, Osiris.

Iconography

  • Ra was represented as a falcon with a sun disk and cobra around it between his horns. Ra resembled the sky deity Horus in appearance.
  • Ra was portrayed in several different ways. Other typical forms include a man with the head of a ram or scarab beetle (in his form as Khepri).
  • Along with other full-bodied animals, Ra was also shown as a ram, scarab beetle, phoenix, heron, snake, bull, cat, or lion.
  • He was frequently shown in the Underworld with a ram’s head. Ra is referred to in this form as the “ram of the west” or the “ram in command of his harem.”

Worship

  • The primary Ra worship site was Iunu, also known as “the Place of Pillars,” which is now known as Heliopolis or “Sun City,” and is situated in the Cairo suburbs.
  • He was compared to the neighborhood sun deity Atum. He was regarded as the first entity and the creator of the Ennead (“The Nine”), which included Shu and Tefnut, Geb and Nut, Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nephthys.
  • He was also known as Atum or Atum-Ra. “The Receiving of Ra” festival was observed on May 26 according to the Gregorian calendar.
  • From around the Second Dynasty onward, Ra’s local worship expanded and established him as a sun deity. Pharaohs were viewed as Ra’s earthly incarnations during the Fourth Dynasty and were referred to as “Sons of Ra.”
  • When Ra was elevated to the status of a state deity during the Fifth Dynasty, and pyramids, obelisks, and sun temples were explicitly constructed to honor him, his adoration significantly rose. 
  • The Fifth Dynasty pharaohs claimed to be the sons of Ra and the bride of Heliopolis’ high priest, and they lavished much of Egypt’s wealth on sun temples. 
  • As the first Pyramid Texts emerged, Ra gained more importance in the pharaoh’s trip through the Duat (Underworld).
  • Ra became more associated with and united with other significant gods throughout the Middle Kingdom, notably Amun, and Osiris.
  • The worship of Ra had grown increasingly elaborate and majestic by the time of the New Kingdom in Egypt. 
  • Ra’s voyage to the Underworld was portrayed in incredibly intricate writings carved onto tombs’ walls.
  • It was believed that Ra’s sun boat carried the deceased’s spirit along with the prayers and blessings of the living. 
  • The notion that Ra grew older with the sun gained increased traction during the emergence of the New Kingdom.
  • Hymns, prayers, and spells were used in numerous acts of devotion to aiding Ra and the sun boat in defeating Apep.
  • Ra worship ended when Christianity gained popularity in the Roman Empire.

Ra Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Ra across 29 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Ra, one of the most important gods in ancient Egyptian mythology. He was the sun god and was considered the king of all gods.

Ra Worksheets
Ra Worksheets
Ra Worksheets

Download includes the following worksheets

  • Ra (Egyptian God)
  • Complete Me
  • True or False?
  • Know Me Better
  • What Am I?
  • Talk With Me
  • Rewrite the Tale
  • A Song to Remember 
  • Mini Me
  • Show Your Respect 
  • Underworld Life

Frequently Asked Questions

Who were Ra’s parents?

Ra was said to be self-created and had no parents in the traditional sense. However, he was sometimes depicted as the offspring of the sky goddess Nut and the earth god Geb, or as the father of the gods and goddesses who ruled over Egypt.

What was Ra’s role in ancient Egyptian mythology?

Ra was the god of the sun, creation, and the cycle of life and death. He was believed to have created the world and all living things, and was responsible for the rising and setting of the sun. Ra was also associated with kingship, and pharaohs often claimed to be the descendants of Ra.

Where was Ra worshipped?

Ra was worshipped throughout ancient Egypt, but his primary cult center was the city of Heliopolis, located near modern-day Cairo. The temple complex in Heliopolis was dedicated to Ra and served as the center of his worship.

What were some of Ra’s symbols?

Ra was often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon and a solar disk on his head, or as a full-bodied falcon. Other symbols associated with Ra include the ankh (a symbol of eternal life), the scarab (a symbol of rebirth), and the serpent (a symbol of protection).

How did Ra’s worship change over time?

Ra’s importance in Egyptian religion waxed and waned over time. In the Old Kingdom, Ra was the most important deity in the Egyptian pantheon. However, his cult was eclipsed somewhat by the rise of other gods, such as Amun, during the Middle Kingdom. In the New Kingdom, the pharaoh Akhenaten briefly tried to promote the worship of a monotheistic god, Aten, who was associated with the sun. However, after Akhenaten’s death, the worship of Ra and other gods was restored.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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