Re-Hor-achti
Re-Hor-achti is one of the ancient Egyptian gods in whom the ancient Egyptians combined the god Ra represented by the sun disk and Horus on the horizons.[1]
It is symbolized by a falcon with the sun disc on its head, as follows:
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It is pronounced: Ra(u)-heru-achti. Specialists write it as: Rˁ.w-ḥr.w-3ḫ.tj.
Meaning
[edit]The ancient Egyptians believed that the sun was the source of life and considered it a god, whom they called Ra. This belief was particularly widespread in northern Egypt, where the city of On (Heliopolis) was the seat of this worship.[2]
The priests elevated this god to the status of the universal god. In the south, at Edfu, the worship of Horus spread. After the union of the north and south faces, the priesthood united the gods of the north and south in the form of the god Ra-Horakhty...
During the reign of King Akhenaten, the priests worshipped Ra-Horakhty. In the first years of his rule, Akhenaten allowed the performance of religious rituals in this inherited manner. Then, when he turned to worshipping the god Aten, represented by the sun, he described him as “Ra-Horakhty.”[3]
Cult centers
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The combined form of the gods Ra and Horus began to appear around 2445 BC in the sun temple built by Nyuserre at Abusir village. He was also worshipped in temples at Wadi el-Sebua, Amadah, Derr, and at the temple of Abu Simbel built by Ramses II.[4]
The form of Ra-Horakhty has been found in various hymns and sacred prayers.
Iconography
[edit]He is represented as Ra at noon, that is, in his earthly glory. He is usually personified as a man with red skin, standing or sitting with a falcon's head crowned by the solar disk surrounded by a uraeus.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Egypt, ETB Tours; Egypt, Ra-Hor-Achti: The God of Ancient. "Ra-Hor-Achti: The God of Ancient Egypt". Ra-Hor-Achti: The God of Ancient Egypt. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
- ^ "New ancient Egyptian artifacts unearthed". EgyptToday. 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
- ^ "Akhenaten's Religious Revolution | Ancient Egyptian Religion Class Notes". library.fiveable.me. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
- ^ "The Deity Ra-Hr-Axty at Memphis" (PDF).
- ^ "Ra-Horakhty: The Powerful Sun God of Duality". egyptatours.com. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
