The wonderfully crafted Tepi is hand-carved from a single block of wood by indigenous artists. Use it for administering Hapé to others.
In this design, Ra Is riding his boat which carries himself and the sun across the heavens, and at night, through the underworld. Ra embodies creation, life, and the cosmic order, journeying daily in his solar boat to ensure the world’s continued existence.
About Ra - The Egyptian Sun God:
Ra, the ancient Egyptian sun god, is one of the most powerful deities in Egyptian mythology, embodying the sun’s life-giving force and representing creation, light, and order. Ra was believed to rule over all of creation, and as the sun god, he was associated with both the rising and setting sun, embodying the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
1. Creator and Life Force
Ra was considered the creator god, responsible for bringing the world and all living things into existence. His daily journey across the sky symbolized the cycle of creation and renewal. As the embodiment of the sun, Ra was believed to shine light upon the world, sustaining life and ensuring order. His presence was seen as a cosmic force that battled against chaos, often represented by his enemies in mythological stories.
2. Ra’s Solar Boat
Ra’s journey across the sky took place in a solar boat, known as the “Barque of Millions of Years.” This boat carried Ra from sunrise to sunset, representing the sun’s movement across the heavens. The myth also describes Ra’s nightly journey through the underworld (Duat) in the same boat. During this perilous journey, Ra had to confront and defeat the serpent Apophis, a symbol of chaos, to ensure that the sun would rise again the next day.
The solar boat, therefore, symbolizes Ra’s eternal cycle of death and rebirth as he transitions from the day world (the sky) to the underworld each night. His triumph over darkness in the underworld was seen as essential for the continuation of life and the renewal of cosmic order.
3. Sun God of Kingship
Ra was also closely associated with Egyptian kingship. Pharaohs were believed to be his earthly representatives, drawing divine power from him to rule. Thus, Ra’s role as the sun god also symbolized authority, stability, and the enduring nature of both the cosmos and the Egyptian state.
