rituals 345corpses needed replacements, and they identified the
graves for wandering kas,or astral spirits set free in the
grave.
Reshef He was an Amorite war deity brought into
Egypt during the Eighteenth Dynasty (1550–1307 B.C.E.),
probably as a result of the Tuthmossid campaigns in the
Near East territories. Accepted by the Egyptians but not
popular, Reshef was depicted as a warrior wearing a white
crown and carrying a mace and shield.
Restoration Stela This monument dating to the reign
of TUT’ANKHAMUN (1333–1323 B.C.E.), describes the
ruined state of Egypt as a result of the reign of AKHEN-
ATEN(1353–1335 B.C.E.) at AMARNA. Both the chaos in
Egypt’s temples and the precarious positions of the armed
forces abroad are depicted in this stela.
resurrection It was the continuing Egyptian belief
that souls never died but achieved renewed existence in
eternity when mortal remains were prepared and placed
in appropriate tomb sites. Every religious ceremony
conducted in connection with the funerary and mortu-
ary rites was designed to foster that belief. In the cult of
OSIRISan important aspect was the god’s resurrection
and ascension into heaven, with the promise that all
mortals could share in his eternal bliss after being
judged by him beyond the grave. This concept of resur-
rection had a positive and profound element in Egyptian
life. The people of the Nile Valley held firmly to the
belief that souls renewed their existence in eternity,
where death could not touch them again. Funerary ritu-
als and texts reassured the Egyptians of the transitory
nature of life and death, events that the individual could
survive.
Ret She was an ancient Egyptian goddess, considered
the consort of RÉand the mother of all the gods. Called
Re-et in some lists, she was considered the female sun.
She was worshiped in HELIOPOLISand was depicted nor-
mally as a woman wearing horns and a SOLAR DISK.
Rhind Papyrus This is a mathematical text copied by
a Theban scribe, probably during the reign of APOPHIS
(c. 1585–1553 B.C.E.), the HYKSOScontemporary of the
Seventeenth Dynasty (1640–1550 B.C.E.). The papyrus
deals with fractions, calculus, and other mathematical
processes known at the time. The Rhind Papyrus also
contains material concerning science and wisdom litera-
ture. It is possible that the present form resulted from yet
another copy made by a scribe in the reign of AMEN-
HOTEP I(1525–1504 B.C.E.). Sometimes called the ’Ah-
mose Papyrus, it was purchased by Alexander Henry
Rhind in 1858, hence the name.
Rib-Hadda (Rib-Addi)(fl. 14th century B.C.E.)Ruler
of ancient Byblos, now a city in modern Lebanon
Rib-Hadda was in power during the reign of AKHENATEN
(1353–1335 B.C.E.), serving as an ally of Egypt. This king
wrote to Akhenaten, warning him about ABDIASHIRTAof
Amurru, a city-state in the region. Rib-Hadda was being
attacked by Abdiashirta and was begging Akhenaten for
troops and grain. He suffered exile from BYBLOSwhen no
Egyptian aid was forthcoming.
See also AMARNA LETTERS.rishi pattern This is a term for the feathered design
used on the SARCOPHAGIof the Seventeenth (1640–1550
B.C.E.) and the Eighteenth (1550–1307 B.C.E.) Dynasties.
The pattern imitated the wings of the god HORUS, thus
enfolding the deceased in the sarcophagus within the
protective power of the deity. Theban tombs from these
dynastic periods have the rishi pattern evident on the sar-
cophagus.rising sun A sacred symbol in Egypt, associated with
the HORIZON, the rising sun was displayed in an AMULET
that was deemed powerful in conveying life and RESUR-
RECTIONbeyond the grave. The symbol of Harmachis,
Hor on the Horizon, was the amulet that depicted a sun
rising between two mountains of hills. It was popular in
MORTUARY RITUALS.Rite of the House of Morning This was a solemn
ceremony conducted each day in ancient Egyptian
palaces. The pharaoh’s rising was a great event. Priests
and courtiers attended him, ready to assist in bathing and
dressing. He washed in water from the local temple lake
to symbolize his primordial rebirth, and the water repre-
sented the chaotic abyss of the god NUN. The king was
then anointed, robed, invested with the royal insignias,
and praised by priests wearing the masks of the gods
HORUSand THOTH. If the king was not in residence at the
time, a substitute official or a member of the royal family
was given similar honors in his stead. In some eras the
king also chewed bits of natron, another symbol of
rebirth and resurrection.
See also DAILY ROYAL RITES.rituals They were the often elaborate ceremonies con-
ducted throughout all of the historical periods of Egypt
as religious, magical, or state displays of power and
belief. Such ceremonies depicted events taking place in
the affairs of humans and the gods. In Egypt, rituals and
beliefs were so closely bound that one could not exist
without the other.
The temple of the deity was considered not as a
material structure but as a HORIZON, the place where the
deity reigned, opening onto the land of glorious light