Ancient Egyptian Mythology in Negev Desert Rock Art
The sun’s journey myth as depicted in Negev Desert
rock art has its roots in ancient Egypt. The myth portrays the sun’s daily travel from east to west,
followed by its descent into the underworld at night. The sun was considered to be a god,
personified in Egypt as Ra, who embarked on a daily journey from east to west and then proceeded
through the underworld at night. The nighttime journey through the underworld was believed
to be the most perilous part of the sun’s journey. The sun admiration in Egypt is articulated
in the Book of the Dead, translated by Sir Peter le Page Renouf :
I look at the sunrise and sunset, the daily return of
the day and night, the struggle between light and darkness, with all the drama of the sun
every detail, every day, every month, every year, in heaven and on earth the sun is the
main theme of Egyptian mythology'
The Egyptian Sun Journey Myth
According to the myth, the Egyptian Sun god Ra passage through the underworld represents a victory over darkness by defeating the hidden dangers he encounters, especially Apophis the serpent. The following passage, from the Book of the Dead, described the sun’s journey:
'As the sun swept from west to east after nightfall, it passed in the kingdom of death until it caught by the snake Apophis. The snake was the source of chaos and the enemy of the sun god. The sun passes over the serpent back in an attempt to defeat it, whether it is in the depths of the realm of death or the eastern horizon'.
'With Ra as our guide, we traverse the treacherous path of the underworld. The serpent Apophis lurks in the shadows, but Ra’s power and bravery ensure our safe passage. At dawn, we emerge from the underworld, victorious over the darkness, ready to embark on a new journey through the sky'.
Fig.1 On left, Ra the Egyptian sun god leads the ship, day and night.
The left ship carries the sun, and the right boat is riding toward the sky full of stars.
On the right, Apophis the coiled snake attacks Pharoh ship sailing at night in the underworld
Ship Rock Art, Symbolic Interpretation
The rock art in Fig.2 showcases a depiction of two upside-down ships, a night ship, and a day ship, The Book of the Dead descibes the meaning of boat pair: Chapter 151: 'Your right eye is the night lightning of the sun boat; your left eye is the daily lightning of the sun boat' symbolizing a journey through the underworld. The wiggling snake, which is seen interfering with the sun’s journey, is a significant aspect of the myth. The snake attacks the large ship that carries the sun while simultaneously towing the small ship in their passage through the underworld.
Fig.2 The twinship Negev Desert Rock Art with a snake. ( photo R. Yahel)
Both the sun carriers and their enemy, the snake, cooperate despite their opposing roles. The sun, in the shape of a cross, symbolizes the upper world and resurrection, while the snake symbolizes the underworld and death. The opposing forces unite when their goal is to maintain nature’s law, demonstrating the unity of nature. Thus, supporting the theory that the world’s order is maintained by a balance of forces, good and bad, that preserve the world’s cyclical rhythm.
Conclusion
The sun’s daily cycle has stood at the heart of Egyptian mythology. Each day, the sun rises in the east, travels across the sky, and descends in the west—only to embark on a perilous voyage through the underworld during the night. This nocturnal journey was seen as a crucial battle against chaos, ensuring the sun’s rebirth at dawn. Rock art in the Negev Desert reflects this powerful mythological narrative, depicting two solar ships that symbolize the sun’s passage through the underworld—an ancient visual testament to the eternal rhythm of death and rebirth.
The Negev nomads borrowed the sun journey myth from the world and invented their unique ship as illustrated in many rock art. The Negev Desert rock art serves as a testament to the power of mythological thinking and the human need to understand and represent the cosmic forces that govern the world.
Bibliography
LANKESTER, D. (2012) Predynastic & Pharaonic era Rock-Art in Egypt’s Central Eastern Desert.
KRISTIANSEN, K. (2010) The sun journey in Indo-European mythology and Bronze Age rock art.
Kaul, F. (1998) A study in Bronze Age religion and iconography.
Lahelma, A. (2017) The Circumpolar Context of the ‘Sun Ship’ Motif in South Scandinavian
