heka, in ancient Egyptian religion, the personification of one of the attributes of the creator god Re-Atum; the term is usually translated as “magic,” or “magical power,” though its exact meaning pertains to cult practice as well. Heka was believed to accompany Re in his solar boat on its daily trip across the heavens; it could also be given to and used by common men. The Egyptians believed that heka was the primordial force present at the creation of the world, that it could be summoned up during the observance of religious ritual, and that its chief function was the preservation of the natural world order.