Discover the Top 10 Fun Facts About Ra: Unveiling the Secrets of Ancient Egypt's Sun God

1. Ra's Solar-Powered Day Job

Talk about solar power! Ra, the ancient Egyptian sun god, had the original daytime job, cruising in his heavenly barge: He was one of the oldest and most revered deities, symbolizing the daily journey of the sun across the sky and even dabbling in the creation business, being associated with Atum. His influence kicked off a celestial chain reaction, sparking gods like Amun to up their game and become mega-deities.
Source => worldhistory.org

2. Birth of the Original Birdman

Move over, Birdman – there's a new superhero in ancient Egypt: Ra, the sun god, sports a falcon head and accessorizes with a cobra-wrapped sun-disk on his crown! The serious reveal: As the creator of all life in Egyptian mythology, Ra spoke the secret names of creatures into existence and is even said to have made humans from his own tears and sweat, earning them the title "Cattle of Ra."
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know the Great Pyramid of Khufu has surprisingly little open space inside? With 2.3 million blocks of limestone and mysteriously empty chambers, uncover the enigmatic secrets of this ancient wonder! 🧐🔍✨

=> Fun Facts about Pharaohs

3. Ancient Egypt's Solar Tech Pioneers

Before Elon Musk and his Tesla's solar roofs, ancient Egyptians were living it up with a sunny twist of their own: Recent research indicates that using a combination of obsidian and copper, they were able to create primitive solar cells that produced small but measurable currents when exposed to sunlight, potentially using this solar-fueled technology for processes like electroplating and even basic electric lighting.
Source => solarquotes.com.au

4. Ra's Stylish Sun Barques

Who needs a speedboat, when you can have a solar-powered barque instead? Ra knows how to travel in style: In ancient Egyptian mythology, the sun god Ra embarked on daily journeys across the sky aboard the Mandjet, also known as the Boat of Millions of Years, and the Mesektet during the night, marking twelve Egyptian hours of the day and navigating the underworld with protective deities at each stop.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Bennu: Self-Made Bird Deity

Move over, self-made millionaires, there's an ancient Egyptian bird who's been doing it since the dawn of time: Bennu, the deity associated with creation and rebirth, has some impressive titles such as "He Who Came Into Being by Himself" and "Lord of Jubilees." This humongous grey heron, with a distinctive two-feathered crest, represents the sun's cycle through periodic renewal – talk about being a trendsetter in the rebirth department!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Scary Pokémon-Style Afterlife Gates

Navigating the afterlife like a horrifying game of "Who's that Pokémon?": Ancient Egyptians believed that in order to reach the afterlife, the deceased had to pass through various gates and pylons in the Duat, guarded by petrifying deities that only granted passage when their secret names were spoken, prompting the Egyptians to bury the deceased with writings containing these names.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Magic Egyptian Anti-Snake Charms

Enjoying a snake-free life is no cakewalk, especially for ancient Egyptians who believed their slithery friends were a double-edged sword: Enter the cippus, a handy-dandy charm designed to protect against and cure snakebites and scorpion stings, featuring magical spells and images that worked like a divine Band-Aid, when recited by loved ones and accompanied by water-soaked spells.
Source => carlos.emory.edu

8. The Great Chaos Control on LinkedIn

If Apophis had a LinkedIn, he'd be endorsed for chaos and disorder: Ancient Egyptians held daily rituals to protect the sun god Ra from the snake-like deity Apophis, who aimed to kill Ra and put an end to the sunrise, creating an eternal struggle between good and evil that depended on human efforts to succeed.
Source => worldhistory.org

9. Consistent Gender Roles for Ra

In a surprising twist of Egyptian mythology, our sunny friend Ra didn't juggle gender like a pro: Despite some deities like Atum and Hapi being portrayed as intersex, Ra, the sun god and creator, was consistently identified as male in ancient Egyptian culture.
Source => advocate.com

10. Destroying Apophis with Wax and Fashion

In the days of ancient Egyptian couture, it wasn't uncommon for fashion-forward pharaohs to accessorize with serpents made of wax - but it wasn't to make a ssssstylish statement: Ancient Egyptians would engage in rituals to protect Ra and destroy Apophis, the chaos-bringing serpent, by creating wax effigies of the fearsome snake, cursing them, and viciously annihilating them through stabbing, trampling, and burning. With each stormy or cloudy day foreshadowing Apophis' encroaching influence, it was vital to ensure Ra could continue blessing the world with sunshine and avoid any solar eclipse shenanigans.
Source => worldhistory.org