Summary

• The Eye of Horus and the Eye of Ra were revered symbols in ancient Egypt, embodying divine power, protection, and cosmic balance.
• The Eye of Horus, linked to healing and wisdom, emerged from the myth of Horus and Set, while the Eye of Ra symbolized the sun god’s fierce protective force.
• Both eyes played a significant role in Egyptian religion, astronomy, and medicine, influencing amulets, temple rituals, and funerary practices.
• These iconic symbols continue to intrigue historians and scholars, revealing deep connections between mythology, science, and the spiritual beliefs of one of history’s greatest civilizations.

The All-Seeing Eyes: The eye of Horus and the eye of Ra were entities of pure divine power that held great value and deep meaning in the history of the ancient Egyptian Civilization, and they remain a source of mystery even in our current day. These two eyes represent the evolved state of mind and high intellect of the ancient Egyptians, who merged their medical expertise & knowledge with their mythical & religious wisdom.

The Eyes of Ra and the Eye of Horus symbolized elemental forces like power, healing, and protection, plus more celestial figures like the sun and the moon. The spiritual essence radiating from these two eyes has played a truly significant role in the shaping of their reality, but also has a lot of useful applications in the fields of science, astronomy, and mathematics. These eyes have also brought power and fortune to everyone who honored them and revealed some of the most enlightening tales from the vast ethereal chronicles of ancient Egypt.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This information does not seek to degrade or insult any religion. All the information is based on historical evidence, any similarities that you may find with your own faith or religion are from the figment of your imagination.

Overview of the Eye of Horus and the Eye of Ra symbols

The Eye of Horus, also known as the left Wedjat or Udjat eye, is an ancient Egyptian religious symbol representing well-being, healing, and protection. It originated from the mythic conflict between two of the most powerful ancient Egyptian gods, the god Horus and his evil uncle Set, who killed his father Osiris, then Set damaged Horus’s eye, later restored with the aid of deities like Thoth. Horus offered the eye to his father Osiris, using its reviving power to bring his father back to life to be the ruler of the afterlife. This symbol represented funerary offerings and temple rituals, and could also symbolize the moon’s phases.

The Eye of Horus, a stylized eye with unique markings, possessed protective magic and featured prominently in ancient Egyptian art. It was a common amulet motif from the Old Kingdom (2686 BC – 2181 BC) to the Roman period (30 BC – 641 AD), seen on coffins, stelae, and boat bows. The symbol spread to neighboring regions like Syria, Canaan, and Nubia. Similar to the Eye of Ra, the Eye of Hours represents overlapping concepts. The eye symbol was also a hieroglyph, which Egyptologists believed represented fractions in ancient Egyptian math.

The Eye of Ra/Re was a significant figure in ancient Egyptian mythology, which serves as a counterpart to the sun god Ra and embodies both feminine and violent attributes. It’s an extension of Ra’s power, often behaving as an independent goddess, and can be associated with various deities like Hathor, Sekhmet, and Bastet. The eye goddess has roles as Ra’s partner, mother, sibling, consort, and daughter. This partnership is integral to the creative cycle, where Ra begets his renewed form at dawn.

The eye goddess fiercely defends Ra against disorderly forces, often depicted as a lioness or uraeus symbol. Similar to the Eye of Horus, the Eye of Ra represents overlapping concepts. The goddess’s destructive aspects, her fury, and the gods’ attempts to appease her form a recurring theme in Egyptian mythology. The Eye of Ra’s influence spans multiple areas of Egyptian religion, from its connection to various goddesses to its life-giving and protective roles in temple rituals and safeguarding the pharaoh, sacred sites, and ordinary people’s homes.

In ancient Egyptian beliefs, the sun and moon were often referred to as the “eyes” of specific gods. The right eye of Horus symbolized the sun, while the left represented the moon. These eyes were depicted using the wedjat symbol, a stylized human eye with falcon markings, associated with Horus. Over time, the lunar eye became known as the “Eye of Horus,” and the solar eye as the “Eye of Ra,” representing the sun god.

The Incredible Symbolism and Meaning of the Celestial Eye of Horus

The ancient Egyptian god Horus was associated with the sky, and his right eye represented the sun, while his left eye symbolized the moon. These eyes were sometimes linked to Egypt’s red and white crowns. The Eye of Horus and the Eye of Ra were sometimes used interchangeably in texts. Some scholars suggest that the eyes of Horus were divided into two entities, the lunar Eye of Horus and the solar Eye of Ra. Others argue that the eyes’ association with the sun and moon wasn’t clear until the dawn of the New Kingdom (1570 – 1050 BC).

There’s debate about whether the original significance of the Eye of Horus was linked to the planet Venus, which represents the morning and evening stars. Myths about the Eyes of Horus and Ra share a core theme: an object missing or distant from its owner. The Eye of Ra myth involves the goddess fleeing Ra and returning with the help of another deity. The Eye is based on a great myth that recounts the story of Set (or Seth), the brother of Osiris, who harbored jealousy toward Osiris’s prosperous realm. Some versions of the tale suggest this envy stemmed from Osiris’s affair with his wife, Nephtys.

Regardless, Set murders Osiris to seize his power, and his wife, and claim the throne. This triggers a sequence of confrontations between Horus and his uncle. Amid these clashes that lasted for 80 years in the place that holds Edfu Temple, Set suffers the loss of some of his internal organs, while Horus’s left eye is harmed. Set seizes Horus’s eye, dividing it into six fragments. Thoth, the deity of wisdom and knowledge, embarks on a quest to recover these shards. Retrieving five pieces, he replaces the final segment with a divine essence.

The reassembled fragments form the fabled Wedjat eye, also known as Udjat or Wadjet. This eye bestows upon Horus the ability to perceive beyond the confines of reality. Horus’s eye aligns perfectly with the ”control center” region of the brain, which holds the pineal gland, pituitary gland, and hypothalamus, also known as the ‘third eye’ or 3rd eye chakra, as mentioned in different cultures.

The Powerful Symbolism and Meaning Of the Divine Eye of Ra

The Eye of Ra had dual aspects of protection and destruction, linked to the power of healing and harm. It was sometimes depicted as a lioness-headed goddess, embodying fierce maternal protection. The roles of the eyes often overlapped due to the fluidity of Egyptian beliefs. It was revered for invoking creativity, sparking innovation, and revealing hidden truths. It held the potential to address challenges, bring forth novel ideas, and signify enigmatic mysteries.

The Eye of Ra is an intriguing myth that diverges from expectations. Seeking his offspring, Ra dispatched his eye to find them, birthing a replacement eye. Ra’s discontent at the replacement led him to transform the original eye into the uraeus, a snake seen on pharaohs’ crowns, positioned over his own eyes. The cat goddess Bastet also embodies the Eye of Ra, guarding against the serpent deity Apep.

According to the myth, Ra’s celestial boat traversed the daytime sky and the underworld at night to battle the evil snake of Apep. This symbolic tale, beyond being mere folklore, encapsulated the ancient Egyptians’ belief in the life-death-rebirth cycle. Pharaohs believed to embody Ra, were to accompany him on this subterranean journey after death, securing their own eternal life.

This narrative’s resonance lies in its portrayal of humanity’s enduring quest to unravel life’s enigmas, the death of ancient Egypt, and the afterlife of ancient Egypt. In a human guise, Ra’s vulnerability led to his counsel being ignored by the Egyptians. To rectify this, Ra sent his lion-like Eye, a figure encompassing roles of mother, sibling, consort, and daughter, to punish humans. This potent eye began wreaking havoc upon humanity, inciting fear among other gods that it might exterminate all. In a clever move, Ra inebriated the eye with red beer, causing it to lose consciousness. This allowed the Eye of Ra to return to Ra, resolving the crisis.

The Close Similarities Of the Eye of Horus vs. the Eye of Ra

Since both eyes are heavily linked and may have originated from the same source which is the heavens despite being associated with different gods it makes sense that they would possess several similarities which are; both symbols are associated with the concept of healing and protection from any kind of evil forces plus destroying any evil enemies which would explain why they are used in the craftsmanship of jewelry and amulets which is believed to bring good fortune and luck.

Both eyes are connected to the goddess of joy, “Hather”. Both the eyes were responsible for radiating energy for the cause of creative purposes or order & justice. Both eyes were featured in ancient Egyptian art and architecture, plus used extensively in several funerary and religious practices.

The Many Distinctions Of the Eye of Horus vs. the Eye of Ra

Despite the many similarities between the two eyes, there are several differences which including that during the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Horus was connected to both the right and left eyes. Subsequently, the right eye became solely linked to Ra, which was revered for invoking creativity, sparking innovation, and revealing hidden truths. It held the potential to address challenges, bring forth novel ideas, and signify enigmatic mysteries. On the other hand, the left eye, characterized by a tail extending to the right, represented Horus’s eye, symbolizing the moon. In contrast, the right eye, with a tail to the left, signified Ra’s eye, representative of the Sun.

The Eye of Horus was associated with Mut, an ancient goddess embodying protection, authority, justice, and natural order. Conversely, Ra’s eye, often referred to as the “daughter of Ra,” symbolized formidable and assertive goddesses such as Tefnut, Bast, Sekhmet, and Nekhbet. Endowed with boundless vision, Ra’s eye possessed the capacity to perceive all. Horus’s eye was intrinsically linked to safeguarding physical wholeness.

When it comes to symbolism, the Eye of Horus represents the moon’s influence, illuminating the night and guiding in darkness. The Eye of Ra symbolizes resurrection, safeguarding, and healing, even reviving the deceased.

When it came to Appearance, Wadjet was seen as a Human eye featuring a line and spiral on the lower eyelid, reflecting falcon eye markings and a tear. which Ra’s eyes are as a Falcon’s eye, crowned with a sun disk and a cobra atop, representing the sun god and his protective serpent.

When it came to Mythology, Horus’s eye was linked to Horus, son of Osiris and Isis. Tied to Ra, the all-knowing sun god and universe creator. Sometimes dispatched as a separate entity by Ra to obliterate his adversaries.

When it came to Function, the eye of Horus was often worn as an amulet for warding off malevolent forces and attracting good fortune. It was utilized as an emblem denoting lunar phases. Associated with goddesses Wadjet and Nekhbet, guardians of Upper and Lower Egypt.

The eye of Ra was deployed as a symbol of royal authority and protection, frequently adorning pharaohs’ crowns. Possesses the potency to annihilate Ra’s and the pharaoh’s foes.

The Meaningful Of the Eye of Horus and the Eye of Ra in Ancient Egyptian Texts

Both Horus and Ra were mythically said to lose their respective eyes, and these myths share a common core element. These concepts are found in early texts like the Pyramid Texts from the Old Kingdom and later on in the coffin texts from the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2055–1650 BC).

Ra’s Eye

Within the coffin texts are several tales surrounding Ra and his eyes, such as a myth surrounding the Eye of Ra highlights its close association with Ra and Atum, showing its capacity to act independently. The coffin texts of ancient Egypt and the Bremner-Rhind Papyrus from the Late Period (664–332 BC) provide insights into this myth, which narrates that Apep is depicted as capable of harming or stealing Ra’s eye during their conflict, as indicated in ambiguous sections of the Coffin Texts.

The eye’s fiery breath is believed to aid in Apep’s defeat in other texts. This protective role of the Eye of Ra is similar to the Eye of Horus, both believed to ward off evil. Early funerary texts indicate that at sunrise, Ra symbolically engulfs other gods, akin to stars, absorbing their energy to rejuvenate himself, and then expels them at night. The solar eye contributes to this process, aiding Ra by eliminating these gods for his consumption.

The dawn’s red light signifies the blood resulting from this symbolic event. Various combinations like Hathor-Tefnut, Mut-Sekhmet, and Bastet-Sothis are found in Egyptian texts. These combinations are connected to Ra’s nocturnal journey through the Duat, the realm of the dead, and his rebirth at dawn. In these texts, the eye and its different forms often shield and give birth to the departed, mirroring its role for Ra. A spell in the Coffin Texts describes Bastet as the eye, illuminating the Duat like a torch, guiding the deceased safely through its depths.

Horus’s Eye

Ancient Egyptian medicine encompassed practical treatments and rituals invoking divine forces, with a blurred distinction between the two in Egyptian medical papyri. Healing rituals often associated patients with Horus, aiming to restore them as Horus was in myth. This connection led to frequent mentions of the Eye of Horus in these spells. In the Hearst papyrus, the physician is likened to “Thoth, the physician of the Eye of Horus,” and the instrument used for measuring medicine is linked to “the measure with which Horus measured his eye.”

The Eye of Horus was especially invoked for protection against eye ailments. Papyrus Leiden I 348 associates body parts with deities for safeguarding, with the left eye identified as the Eye of Horus. This symbol was utilized as a determinative or ideogram representing the Eye of Horus in writing. Symbols resembling fragments of the wedjat eye hieroglyph were employed by the Egyptians.

The Enchanting Depiction of the Eyes in Ancient Egyptian Art

The eye symbol of Horus held protective significance in various contexts within ancient Egypt. It was often combined with other protective symbols like the ankh and djed signs, as well as deity emblems, in jewelry pieces. Glass beads featuring eye-like spots were used in necklaces along with wedjat amulets, possibly influencing the modern nazar bead, which wards off the evil eye. Temporary amulets, like the wedjat eye, were crafted for specific perilous situations such as illness or childbirth. Ritual spells advised practitioners to draw the wedjat eye on linen or papyrus to create such temporary amulets.

In ancient Egyptian art, wedjat eyes were widely employed. It was a common amulet motif from the Old Kingdom (2686 BC – 2181 BC) to the Roman period (30 BC – 641 AD), seen on coffins, stelae, and boat bows. Coffins during the First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom often featured a pair of wedjat eyes on the left side. These eyes possibly enabled the deceased to see outside the coffin and offered protective functions. Boats had the eyes of Horus painted on their bows, potentially both safeguarding the vessel and providing foresight.

Winged wedjat eyes were occasionally depicted hovering over kings or deities. Wedjat eyes adorned stelae, sometimes placed above common people’s figures when only deities or kings could be positioned beneath the winged sun symbol in lunettes. The symbol even found its way into tattoos, as observed in the mummy of a woman from the late New Kingdom. The symbol spread to neighboring regions like Syria, Canaan, and Nubia adopting the wedjat symbol in their own artistic expressions.

The sun emblem of the Eye of Ra in ancient Egyptian art, often referred to as the “sun disk,” represents the Eye of Ra that radiates heat, light, and fire. It’s associated with the pre-sunrise red glow and the morning star heralding the sun’s arrival. This symbol, portraying a yellow or red disk-like sun, is a prevalent religious motif due to the sun’s immense significance in ancient Egyptian religion.

Although Egyptologists term it the “sun disk,” its convex appearance in Egyptian relief art hints at a spherical interpretation. This emblem frequently crowns solar-related deities’ heads, including Ra himself, signifying their connection to the sun. At times, depictions show the sun god within the disk, seemingly enclosed by it. The sun’s movement was likened to Ra’s journey on a barque accompanied by other gods; the sun disk might be seen as either this barque or as encompassing it.

The creator god grants the eye an esteemed place on his forehead, represented by the uraeus, a cobra symbol seen frequently on royal crowns. This connection reinforces the eye’s companionship with Ra and the pharaoh, who is linked with Ra. In artistic depictions, the sun disk often features one or two coiled uraei. The solar uraeus symbolizes the eye’s potent, protective force enveloping the sun god, fending off adversaries with flames. In some instances, four uraei encircle Ra’s barque, collectively named “Hathor of the Four Faces,” symbolizing the eye’s watchfulness in all directions.