Ra
The sun — and the night journey that every royal tomb in the valley is a map of.
- Also written
- Re · Re-Horakhty · Ra-Horakhty · Amun-Re · رع حور آختي · را
Who they were
Ra, also written Re, is the sun god. His daily passage and renewal are central to many funerary compositions, but those texts organise the journey in different ways: not every underworld book is divided into twelve hours.
Where you meet them
In royal tombs, look for solar imagery and texts connecting the king’s renewal with the sun. The Litany of Re appears in many Ramesside tombs, but the selection and arrangement of texts differ between tombs.
Who they are shown with
Amun
Amun often wears a crown with two tall feathers and may appear as a man or in ram-related forms. These are useful clues, but other gods can share attributes: inscriptions and the surrounding scene help confirm an identification.
Horus
A falcon or falcon-headed figure may represent Horus, but several deities use falcon imagery. Crown, accompanying text and the action in the scene provide the more reliable identification.
Osiris
Osiris often appears wrapped as a mummy, holding a crook and flail. His atef crown has a tall central element flanked by feathers. The djed is a pillar-shaped symbol with stacked crossbars, associated with stability. Use these clues together with the inscription.
Sekhmet
A lioness-headed woman with a sun disc is a useful starting clue for Sekhmet, not an exclusive identifier. Other lioness goddesses share features; read the caption where it survives.
Sources & further reading3
Source review is incomplete. Consultation dates are shown only for checked references.
Published works and institutional references for further reading.