Ra and the Night Voyage: The Battle Against Chaos

The Solar Barque Every day, the Sun God Ra travels across the sky in his golden chariot, bringing light and life to the world. But the ancient Egyptians believed that the most dangerous part of his journey began at sunset. When the sun disappears below the horizon, Ra enters the Duat (the Underworld) in his "Night Barque." He must travel through the twelve regions of darkness, representing the twelve hours of the night, to be reborn at dawn.

The Serpent of Darkness Waiting in the depths of the underworld is Apep (Apophis), the giant serpent of Chaos. Apep has no soul and no voice; he is pure destruction. His goal is to swallow the sun and plunge the universe back into the watery void of nothingness. As Ra’s boat glides through the dark rivers, Apep attacks with a hypnotic gaze and terrifying coils. To protect the sun, other gods stand on the boat with Ra. The most fierce protector is Set, who stands at the prow and strikes the serpent with his spear, while Bastet, the cat goddess, uses her claws to ward off the darkness.

The Eternal Dawn Every night, the battle is fierce. Sometimes the earth shakes—an eclipse or a storm—which the Egyptians believed were moments when Apep was winning. But every night, through the combined strength of the gods and the will of Ra, the serpent is defeated and driven back into the abyss. At the end of the twelfth hour, Ra emerges from the underworld, transformed and renewed. The sun rises, and for one more day, Ma'at (Order) has triumphed over Chaos.