The eye of the Sun God

[Kowalski]

I've written briefly about the importance of magic in the ancient world. Now, of course, it follows that amulets were worn to ward off ills and bad spirits and the like. Non more powerful are the symbols of the Gods themselves, and perhaps most important of these was the Eye of Ra, or the Eye of Horus. Still in use today in countries bordering the Meditterrean Sea, the eye remains a potent symbol against bad luck and the evil eye. It has a long history.

This all seeing eye, also known in Egyptian as the Wadjet or Udjat Eye, it was said to be capable of observing all the evil that exsited in the world. From Egypt, its influence spread outwards to Greece, Rome and other cultures around the wine dark sea.

The Eye of Horus always has the same unusual and highly characteristic structure. There is a strong eyebrow, clearly defined eyelids, a largeround pupil, and two strange marks underneath the eye. The other is a diagonal line stroke which ends in a tight curl. However, these markings are not so strange when you study the features of the Lanner Falcon, which reveals the eye's markings are in fact stylized versions of the dark patches which appear on the side of the bird's face, confirming that this is indeed, the eye of the great solar falcon God, who soars in the heavens as his Father Ra.

In Ancient Egypt, a pair of these eyes was often placed on the recesses of tombs, on coffins and on sarcophagi. There they stood, staring out forever, protecting the dead against all forms of evil and ensuring they would peacably attain the afterlife without hinderance.

The eye was also worn by the living as we have stated, and as well as in countries around the Med, the eye is a popular amulet in the West today.

K

 

[Solon]

I might add that the eye of horus became so popular in Ancient Greece, that it is still widely used by the Greeks today. Certainly, when travelling, and esp upon the sea, people feel vunerable, and today, you can find pairs of the eye on boats, and also in cars, lorries, and even on horses. It is still thought that the eye will protect travellers from countless dangers they may encounter.

Solon

 

[Nehustan]

To call the eye of Horus the eye of 'the sun god' is not strictly correct. Horus ascended to take on the appellation Ra, later in his cycle. Primarily Horus was a 'Sky god' son of Isis and Osiris. Osiris may be considered a resurrection god, and thus in some way like a sun, but he was not Ra. Horus as a child is called Hoor Paar Kraat, and is depicted as a hawk headed god. Horus upon reaching majority is called Ra Hoor Khuit, and thus is associated with the sun god Ra. The depiction of Ra as a hawk headed god would infact be Ra Hoor Khuit as opposed to Ra proper. Horus when depicted as Ra Hoor Khuit has a sunglobe depicted upon his hawk's head. From my understanding Ra was, prior to his syncretism with Horus, depicted as a winged sun globe. Horus had very early association to early dynastic kings who came after the Naqada III/Dynasty 0 periods, with the elusive Menes said to have been named Horus Aha. It is far later that subsequent pharoahs are attributed the appellation of 'sons of Ra' around the 4th Dynasty the time of the building of the great pyramids and other solar temples. The reason that a single eye is often depicted is demonstrative of the battle between Horus and Seth, Osiris' brother and killer. During this battle Horus is said to have lost one of his eyes, tho' it is later said to have been restored.

 

[Solon]

Horus on the Horizon, or more properly Ra- Horakhte, is a manfestation of Ra, and I see no reason not to call his eye, the Eye of Ra. Horus the Elder is an ancient Sky God, who as your rightly say is an archaic falcon God, and not related to the Later Sun God. And neither should be confused with Horus, son of Osiris.

Solon

 

[Solon]

Spell 167: book of what is the underworld:

' Thoth has fetched the sacred eye, having pacified the eye after Re sent it away. It was very angry, but Thoth pacified it from it from anger after it had been far away.
If I be hale, it will be hale, and N ( name) will be hale.'

This spell is designed the bring the eye to protect the deceased. The eye of Ra was sent to punish mankind, and took the form of Sekhmet, who became crazed with blood. Sekhmet being a lion headed goddess, was only pacified by being intoxicated by blood red wine, which she drank to excess. In the some variations of the myth, it is Hathor who manifests as the eye of Ra.

Solon

 

[ChrisP]

Was this eye also in use by the Phoenicians? I seem to recall them having eyes on their prows. .

 

[Solon]

It became widespread throughout the Med, and in Greece and Turkey today, it is still a popular motiff, especially on boats.

solon