Barks, Sacred

The heavens being conceived of as an ocean, the solar gods were often spoken of as progre ing in their barks. The sun's two barks are the best known of these. At his birth in the morning he entered the *Sektit* bark, which took him to his most southern point at noon. He then travelled till sunset in the *Mazit* or *Mandet* bark. During the night he changed into different barks, until received again into the *Sektit* bark next morning. The pictures of these barks vary. Sometimes the boat is extremely simple and contains only the sun disk. At others it is large, with a cabin or shrine in the centre for the chief gods, who are accompanied by other gods before and behind. Sometimes there are rowers, at others it is self-propelled either with or without a helmsman to guide it. Tum and Khepera are the gods who most frequently accompany Ra. The bark of Ptah-Seker-Osiris was called *Hennu* and that of Nun *Neshmet*. The temples had models of these boats, in which in some cases the symbol of the god was kept. These barks were carried in proce ion round the temple at stated times. (See Moon .)