Eye of Horus: what is the meaning?

O eye of horus It is an Egyptian symbol that has different meanings, but power and protection are the most common. Its origin goes back to Egyptian mythology, which tells of a battle between the Egyptian gods Seth, god of war, and Horus, god of the skies, in which Horus had his left eye gouged out.

Horus was an Egyptian god considered the solar god or the god of the heavens. He was considered a great protector of royalty and the most important god from Ancient Egypt. The pharaohs declared themselves the incarnates of Horus.

Read too: What were the Egyptian gods?

Topics of this article

1 - Summary about the eye of Horus
2 - What is the meaning of the Eye of Horus?
3 - Symbology of the Eye of Horus
4 - What is the origin of the eye of Horus?
5 - What are the uses of the eye of Horus?
6 - Who was Horus?
7 - Curiosities about the eye of Horus

Summary on the Eye of Horus

The eye of Horus is an Egyptian symbol that commonly means power and protection.
It also represents omniscience, that is, knowledge about all things, being considered the "eye that sees everything".

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The origin of the eye of Horus goes back to Egyptian mythology, more specifically to the battle between the Egyptian gods Seth and Horus, in which Horus had his left eye gouged out.
The Eye of Horus can be used as a talisman for self-protection and as an amulet for preservation and recovery of health.
In Egyptian mythology, Horus was the son of Osiris, god of judgment and death, and Isis, mother goddess of the pharaohs and of life. He is considered the most important god of Ancient Egypt and protector of royalty. The pharaohs declared themselves the incarnates of Horus.

What does the Eye of Horus mean?

The eye of Horus, also known as Udyat, is an Egyptian symbol that has different meanings depending on the context or belief in which it is applied. However, among these meanings, the most common and generic are power and protection.

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Symbolism of the Eye of Horus

the eye of horus represents omniscience, that is, the power to know all things. It also presents a symbolic use directed towards the beliefs of protection for the dead and the living, as well as referring to the form how the ancient egyptians represented the idea of omniscience and how this idea was passed down through generations and religions future.

É also known as the "all-seeing eye" by Freemasonry adherents. The image of an isolated eye is the most understandable visual element for the vast majority of religious cultures that use this symbol with a strong impact of vigilance and control, concentrating all the energy in a single point: the eye.

Read too:What elements are part of the Masonic symbology?

What is the origin of the eye of Horus?

The origin of the eye of Horus goes back to Egyptian mythology, which talks about a battle between the Egyptian gods Seth and Horus. Seth, who is the god of storm, chaos and war, plucked out the left eye of Horus., the god of the skies. The torn out eye of Horus was replaced by an amulet, which gave rise to what is now known as the eye of Horus.

What are the uses of the eye of Horus?

the eye of horus can be used as a talisman for self-protection and as an amulet for preservation and recovery of health. In beliefs and superstitions, the talisman is exclusively defensive, creating a protective aura around its bearer. Already the amulet absorbs the negative energies against its owner. In Ancient Egypt, the eye of Horus was used as a representation of strength, vigor, safety and health.

Who was Horus?

Ancient depiction of Horus at the Temple of Kom Ombo, Egypt.

Horus was a Egyptian god considered the solar god or the god of the skies. He was considered a great protector of royalty and the most important god of Ancient Egypt. The pharaohs declared themselves the incarnates of Horus.

Being the son of Osiris, god of judgment and of the dead, and of Isis, mother goddess of pharaohs and life, Horus he went through a heavy conflict against his father's enemy, Seth, god of war, proving that Seth had usurped the throne of Osiris. In the midst of conflicts, Horus had his left eye gouged out. Horus is usually represented as a falcon or as a man with a falcon's head. To learn more about Horus, click here.

Facts about the Eye of Horus

The right eye of Horus represents the Sun, and the left eye the Moon. The union of the two eyes symbolizes the entire Universe and forces of light.
The eye of Horus also resembles the shape of the thalamus, an important part of the human brain that translates all of our sense signals—smell, touch, taste, hearing, and sight.
Each element present in the eye of Horus represents a fraction of the number system of the Egyptians that was used to determine proportions of ingredients in the preparation of medicines in Egyptian medicine Old.

Sources:

BARROS, José D`Assunção. The eye of Horus and other images – Concepts and symbolic-visual language. IMPACTVM Coimbra University Press Journals. Available in: https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/mediapolis/article/view/9624/7371.

RONNBERG, Ami; MARTIN, Kathleen. THE BOOK OF SYMBOLS. Internet Archive. Available in: https://archive.org/details/o-livro-dos-simbolos-taschen/page/353/mode/2up.

Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:

ARDISSAO, Marcell de Oliveira. "Eye of Horus"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiag/olho-de-horus.htm. Accessed on August 03, 2023.

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