Eye of Horus ( formerly Eye of the Moon or Eye of Ra ) in ancient Egyptian Ujjat , is an ancient Egyptian symbol and emblem with purifying properties , used to protect from envy , from evil spirits , from harmful animals and from disease, and it is in the form of a necklace that adorns the person , and reflects the royal power derived from the gods Horus or Ra .
The True Meaning
Everyone knows that it’s a symbol of protection .
Records dating back to ancient Egypt show the Eye of Horus and it can be found in ancient Egyptian tombs and manuscripts .
The Eye of Horus, which is also known as the “ wadjet “ ( can be spelled wadjit ) , is also linked with the gods and their rule over the world .
Wadjet was also the deity and protector of lower Egypt .
It is for this reason , the ancient Egyptians made amulets out of the magical Horus Eye symbol and used the piece of jewellery for both the living and the dead .
Who was Horus ?
Horus was the god of the sky in ancient Egyptian mythology .
He was the son of Osiris ( King of Egypt) and Isis .
According to ancient Egyptian mythology , his right and left eyes represented the sun and moon , respectively .
Horus’s right eye was called the “ Eye of Ra “ , and his left eye was known as the “ Eye of Eye of Horus”.
-History of the symbol
There are many versions of how Horus lost his left eye. According to one account , Seth , who was the brother of Osiris , ripped Horus’s eye out .
He tore the eye into six parts and disposed of it .
Another version of the myth tells us that Horus himself gouged his eye out as an attempt to raise his father from the dead .
Some say that Thoth , the god of wisdom magically restored Horus’eye .
Others claim that it was Hathor , the goddesss of love.
Legend has it that Horus then offered his restored left eye as a sacrifice to resurrect Osiris .
This story , in a way , explains how the Horus Eye became the symbol of healing , sacrifice, and protection .
-The 6 Elements of the Eye of Horus
The Eye of Horus goes a little deeper , it’s not all just about protection . The Horus Eye is made up of six elements , based on Horus’ eye being torn up into 6 pieces by Seth . Five of the elements in the eye represent the five senses and the sixth corresponds to thought .
The eyebrow represents thought as it is close to the brain . The pupil obviously represents sight .
The right side of the pupil , which is closest to the nose , is associated with the sense of smell .
The left side of the pupil , represents hearing , as it is close to the ear .
The curved part that looks like a tongue , represents taste . Lastly , the teardrop, which looks like a leg touching the ground , represents touch .
-Ancient use of the Eye of Horus
As mentioned earlier , ancient Egyptians used amulets with the symbol for protection .
This jewelry was also used in funerals .
Amulets which were found in pyramids and sarcophagi suggest that pharaohs were buried with them, to guide them to the next world .
The ancient Egyptians also used to paint the Horus Eye on the bows of their boats , for the eye to guide and protect them on their dangerous voyages .
-The Eye of Horus Today
Although we live in modern times ,the belief in the Horus Eye and the practices continue.
Besides protection , many consider the Eye as a symbol of power and knowledge.
You will also find the symbol is a popular design for tattoos .
If you look closely at the RX symbol commonly seen on signs in pharmacies and on doctors’ prescription , you will notice that it is constructed based on the Horus Eye .
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