The Litany of Re

The book presents a complete translation, transliteration and commentary of the Litany of Re. This book is the first from the series “The sacred books of Ancient Egypt” which includes the translation of the main works of the Egyptian sacred tradition.

The Litany of Re is an important Ancient Egyptian funerary text of the New Kingdom. Like many funerary texts, it was written on the inside of the tomb for reference by the deceased. Unlike other funerary texts, however, it was reserved only for pharaohs or very favored nobility.

It is a two-part composition that in the first part invokes the sun, Ra, in 75 different forms. The second part is a series of prayers in which the pharaoh assumes parts of nature and deities, but mostly of the sun god. Developed in the Eighteenth Dynasty, it also praises the king for his union with the sun god, as well as other deities. The text was used in the entrance of most tombs from the time of Seti I, though we first know of it from the burial chamber of Thutmose III and the tomb of his vizier Useramun.