Because different gods were worshipped in different parts of Egypt, when Egypt was united, it became important to unite the gods. As a result, Re, the most important god of the north, is combined with the creator god, Amun of southern Egypt into Amun-Re.

Re is shown with the body of a human and the head of a ram. He is also connected with the scarab beetle, required to intervene in human affairs and transfers his powers to Horus, the King, thus conceding the throne to his physical son.


In the New Kingdom, pharaohs connected themselves directly with Re. Amenhotep III called himself "the dazzling Sun", and Akhenaten changed the religion to the worship of the Sun alone. Sun-based symbols include the Sun disk, the celestial barque, the double lion and the obelisk.