The central Egyptian deity associated with the sun and rulership was Ra. Often depicted as a man with a falcon head, crowned with a solar disk, Ra was one of the most important gods in ancient Egyptian religion. He represented light, warmth, and growth, believed to ascend in the sky as the sun each day. Ra was also associated with kingship and was considered the father of all gods. His significance is reflected in various mythological tales, religious texts, and monumental architecture, including temples and the pyramids, which emphasized the divine nature of the pharaohs as his earthly representatives.