Hennu Boat “Symbol of Ra Journey Across the Sky” the Hennu Boat was a type of ancient Egyptian vessel that was used for religious ceremonies and processions. The name Hennu comes from the hieroglyph for a mountain with a pointed peak, which was the shape of the boat’s prow. The Hennu boat was also called the “Boat of Millions of Years” because it symbolized the journey of the sun god Ra across the sky and through the underworld. The Hennu boat was often carried on a Sledge by priests and accompanied by musicians and dancers. It was also sometimes towed by another boat on the Nile River, especially during the festival of Opet, when the god Amun traveled from Karnak to Luxor. The Hennu boat was decorated with various emblems of the sun god, such as the solar disk, the uraeus serpent, and the winged scarab. The boat also had a cabin or shrine where the statue of the god was placed. The Hennu boat was considered sacred and was kept in a special temple or dock when not in use. In Egyptian mythology, the hennu boat or Sokar barque (also henu, Manuel de Codage transliteration: Hnw) was a symbol of the god Seker of Memphis. Depending on the era or the prevailing dynasty of Egypt, the hennu boat sailed toward either dawn or dusk. In the Pyramid Texts of Unas (PT 214, 138c) one of the steps the deceased had to take, after leaving his property to his son, after purifying himself, etc. was: You will descend on ropes of bronze, in the arms of Horus as his name is “Being in the Hennu barque.” On the holiday of the god Seker, a stone—possibly a representation of the god—was put on the Hennu barque and pulled with a sled over the fields, while people followed it wearing garlands of onions. A harpist’s song from the tomb of Djehutimes (TT 32) describes the practice as follows: [He] pulled [So]kar by placing the Hennu barque on its sled, going around the walls with his following. At times the Hennu barque was identified with Seker himself, as in pKairo CG 51189 (pYuya) where it is stated: I have appeared as Hennu. which is followed two lines below by this passage: I have appeared as Sokar.