Ra

Ra (/rɑː/; Ancient Egyptian: rꜥ; also transliterated rꜥw, pronounced [ˈɾiːʕuw]; cuneiform: 𒊑𒀀 ri-a or 𒊑𒅀 ri-ia; Phoenician: 𐤓𐤏, rʿ) or Re (/reɪ/; Coptic: ⲣⲏ, Rē) was the ancient Egyptian deity of the Sun. By the Fifth Dynasty (25th-24th centuries BC), he had become one of the most important gods in ancient Egyptian religion, primarily associated with the noon-day sun. Ra's dominion extended throughout all realms of creation: sky, Earth, and underworld. He was believed to have been the first pharaoh of Ancient Egypt and embodied the concepts of the sun, cosmic order, kingship, and the heavens.

Frequently depicted as a falcon, Ra shared many characteristics with the sky-god Horus. The two deities were sometimes merged as Ra-Horakhty, meaning "Ra, who is Horus of the Two Horizons." During Egypt's New Kingdom period, when the god Amun rose to prominence, he was fused with Ra to create the composite deity Amun-Ra.

The cult of the Mnevis bull, considered an embodiment of Ra, was centered in Heliopolis, where a formal burial ground for sacrificed bulls was established north of the city.

According to Egyptian belief, Ra created all forms of life. Some myths state that humans were formed from Ra's tears and sweat, which led Egyptians to call themselves the "Cattle of Ra." The myth of the Celestial Cow recounts how humans plotted against Ra, prompting him to send his eye in the form of the goddess Sekhmet to punish mankind.