Eye of Horus

The eye of Horus, simply the eye, is a symbol and protective amulet originating from the ancient Egyptian and associated with the goddess Wadjet, daughter of Ra. [ Read more about The Eye of Ra ]

Eye of Horus Meaning:

Eye of Horus meaning: A mythological story explains how the Eye of Horus was damaged and subsequently healed, reflecting the waxing and waning phases of the Moon. Thus, the name was given to this symbol, Wadjet would come to mean “the totality or unity restored”. This myth is associated with the passion of Osiris; after his death and dismemberment by Seth, Isis manages to reunify him and bring him back to life through her magic. Marked by death, the god can no longer rule among the living, thus becoming the divine king of the dead. It is here where this founding myth is linked to the eye of Horus after the latter’s struggles with Seth to avenge the death of his father.

The god Osiris regent of Egypt is killed by his brother Seth, who succeeds him in power. The son of Osiris, who is called Horus, the man with the head of a hawk, initiates the war against Seth. After several battles, Horus triumphs and succeeds his late father on the throne. However, during the fight, Seth rips out one of his eyes and cuts it into six pieces, which he spreads throughout Egypt. The gods entrust the lunar god Thoth to gather the parts and reconstruct the entire eye. Thus, the eye became the symbol of the victory of the god Horus, the victory that represents the triumph of good over evil. The representation of the Eye of Horus is a cross between a human eye and a hawk’s eye.

Both symbolize an order that is in constant danger of extinction and must be restored as new in the same measure. The presentation of the eye of Horus by the pharaoh or the priest had the same basic meaning as the presentation of Maat. This ritual gesture was visible proof that all threats to order had been removed, and that justice and harmony ruled again. The sacred eye is often seen held by a monkey, as an allusion to Thot, who healed the eye. Because of this rejuvenation, it is also called “green eye“, associating the color with Osiris, vegetation, resurrection. Once healed, it even possessed its own characteristic perfume.

The eye first symbolizes the evil repelled, but it also represents health and physical integrity, the unity of beings in a single entity, knowledge and total vision. In Egypt, it is found in many medallions, and they are destined to bring good luck to their owner. Some explorers of ancient Egypt believed that they were able to have a better view of the seas and thus better reflect their course by wearing a pendant representing the wedjat or udjat . On the other hand, sometimes the symbol was painted on the arches of the ships

Goddess Maat identified the eye of Horus, once wounded and he becomes healthy.

Eye of Horus amulet:

It was believed that the Eye of Horus Amulet had healing and protective powers. It was used for the living especially as protection against disease and for the dead to prevent the disintegration of the embalmed body.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding the origin and meaning of this sacred symbol, its use in Egyptian iconography is extensive and relatively clear. The eye was, above all, a protective mechanism, which is evident in the numerous updates represented on amulets, jewels, protective plates placed over the incision made during the embalming of the mummies, etc. This protective aspect is probably part of the meaning of the two eyes that were usually painted on the left side of the sarcophagi during the First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom. Although the mummies were turned to the left side, suggesting that they could serve as windows to the outside world for the deceased, they undoubtedly had a protective function. In this same sense, the eyes of Horus painted on the bows of the ships had the same purpose of protection and guidance.
During the New Empire, the sacred eye was depicted abundantly, behind images of kings and gods as an emblem of protective force. It is also found in these scenes flanked by the Garaonic goddess Nekhbet. Because of its mythological origins, the eye of Horus could also act as a symbol of the offering. Thus, the restored eye that was presented by Horus to his father Osiris became archetypical of the act of offering and its extension of the offering itself.
Today, the eye of Horus has become a popular tattoo that rescues the ancient beliefs about its protective powers but also has become widely associated with this symbol with the third eye because its shape resembles the pineal gland.
The eye of Horus was also used as an offering from the eldest son to his dead father as a symbol of reverence for the parents.

Eye of Horus and representation of fractions:

The Egyptians had a fairly developed system of fraction representation. However, there were two others of more archaic origin, one of an agrarian nature and the other mythological. The latter used the component parts of the eye of Horus to represent six particular fractions in mathematical progression with the single denominator being the unit and the denominator is a multiple of 2 until adding together 1, the divine unit symbolized by the complete eye, in allusion to the eye healed by Thot, thus giving this system a mythological character.

How do you use the Eye of Horus today?

The popularity of the “Eye of Horus ” as a protective symbol continued far beyond the era of ancient Egyptian civilizations. Today, many people use this symbol on their jewelry to protect themselves from the evil will of others. It is also a favorite subject in many paintings, posters, and other graphic works. Fishermen and sailors from Mediterranean countries paint the “Eye of Horus” on their boats to protect themselves. Many believe that the Eye of Horus is somehow connected with the Eye of Providence depicted on dollar bills, which actually originated in Christian iconography. Some occultists, such as Telemites, often depict the Eye of Horus in a triangle and interpret it as a symbol of elemental fire. Conspiracy theorists believe that many of the symbols of the eye, including the Eye of Horus, are fundamentally the same – a symbol of illusion, power, manipulation, control over knowledge, information and subordination, and that they represent the true power behind many governments today, the notorious and mysterious organization of the Illuminati. In modern society, the belief in the Eye of Horus as a symbol of protection, health, sovereignty, and royalty is primarily confirmed by its popularity in jewelry design. Many people around the world are
fascinated by the legends about the symbol of the Eye of Horus, wearing it with the same firm belief in the protection it offers.