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Ra and Bast


            
             He is the sun god and king of the Egyptian gods. He was depicted with a human body and the head of a hawk or falcon. Ra was usually considered the creator and controller of the universe, his chief symbols being the sun disk and the obelisk. Originally a local cult, the worship of Ra first became widespread during the Old Kingdom in Egypt. The chief temple of Ra was at the city of Heliopolis (Greek for city of the sun), which became an important center when the cult was adopted as a state religion. I really don't understand the Egyptian myths. Ra is repeatedly grouped with other gods during his worship. He is associated with other deities, like Amon and Horus. It is his grouping with Amon that gave him the most followers. When Ra was identified with Amon, he was known as Amon-Ra, "the father of the gods, the fashioner of men, the creator of cattle, and the lord of all being." As a universal god he became the god of the Egyptian nation and the empire. The power of his high priest rivaled that of the pharaoh, provoking political problems similar to modern church-state rivalry. The most massive temple ever built was constructed for Amon-Ra at Al Karnak.
             Ra was reborn each morning, and died at the end of each day as an old man. He traveled through the sky in a large boat. His eye was the sun. Every day he would begin his journey and die of old age at night. At night he was said to be traveling through the underworld. It was not always smooth sailing on the ship. During the day Ra had to fight his chief enemy, a snake named Apep. Ra was usually won these battles. However, on stormy days, or during an eclipse, the Egyptians believed that Apep had been victorious and swallowed the sun.
             Bast.
             Bast, who was also known as Bastet or Ubasti, was an Egyptian cat goddess worshiped primarily in the ancient city of Bubastis on the Nile Delta. As the protector of cats, which the ancient Egyptians often kept in their homes as pets; Bast was also an important goddess of the hearth.


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