We explain what the Eye of Horus is in ancient Egyptian mythology, its origin and function. We also explain its relationship to Egyptian fractions. Please read other MTV articles for more information. If you share it, it will be of little help to us.
What is the Eye of Horus?
The Eye of Horus, also called Udjat (“which is complete”), is a symbol from ancient Egyptian mythology. It consists of a human eye and eyebrow combined with some facial features of a falcon, the bird that represented the god Horus.
In ancient times, it was attributed with protective and beneficial properties for health, healing, and restoration. Its origin dates back to the battle between the gods Horus and Seth, who, according to myth, had disputed the throne of Egypt after the death of Osiris, Horus’s father and Seth’s brother. During the conflict, Horus lost one or both eyes, depending on the version of the myth, but thanks to the help of other gods, he recovered them. Eventually, the eye acquired magical properties and Horus took the throne of Egypt.
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In modern times, the eye of Horus was rediscovered and reinterpreted by various esoteric and pseudo scientific currents. It is also popular as an aesthetic motif, especially in tattoos and body adornments.
KEY POINTS
- The eye of Horus, also called Udjat, is an ancient Egyptian symbol linked to protection, health, restoration, and offerings. It consists of a human eye and eyebrow with the facial features of a falcon, the bird that represented the god Horus.
- According to Egyptian mythology, Horus lost his eye while fighting Seth, but Thoth or Hathor restored it and gave it magical properties.
- In ancient times, it was used in amulets for protection and healing, and was engraved on tombs and sarcophagi to ward off evil and ensure the restoration of the deceased in the afterlife.
- In modern times, it was revived through esoteric movements. Currently, it is also used as an aesthetic or decorative motif.
Mythological Origin of the Eye of Horus
The mythological origin of this symbol lies in the struggle between Horus (god of the sky and kingship, son of Osiris) and Seth (god of chaos and the desert, brother of Osiris). In this confrontation between the two gods, who were vying for the throne of Egypt after Osiris’s murder by Seth, Horus emerged victorious, but lost his left eye (in some versions, both eyes).
Then, the Egyptian god of wisdom, Thoth (in other versions, the goddess Hathor), recovered or restored Horus’s eye, henceforth called Udjat, so that he could regain his sight. This new eye had magical properties, and with it, Horus was able to bring Osiris’s body back to life.
This story turned the eye of Horus into a symbol of restoration and wholeness, an emblem of medicine, and an amulet for protection against the evils that stalked the living and the dead. It is mentioned in this sense in various religious writings, such as the Pyramid Texts, the Coffin Texts, and the Book of the Dead. For example, in chapter 137A of the Book of the Dead, it is recited:
“The Eye of Horus is your protection, Osiris, Lord of the Westerners, it is a safeguard for you: it repels all your enemies, all your foes are turned away from you.”
The Eye of Horus also represented divine order and the king’s strength, as well as the offerings given to the gods and the deceased, in imitation of the story in which Horus revived Osiris by offering him his eye. When the Eyes of Horus were engraved or painted on the outer wall of a sarcophagus, they generally served the dual magical function of protecting the deceased and allowing them to look out through them.
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Who was Horus?
In Egyptian mythology, Horus (Hor, in ancient Egyptian, “the one who is on high” or “the distant one”) was a god of the sky, representing royalty, war, and hunting. He was one of the oldest gods of the pharaonic civilization. He was commonly depicted as a human figure with a falcon’s head, upon which rested the double crown of ancient Egypt.
Horus was the son of Isis and Osiris, two of the principal gods of the Egyptian pantheon, and the pharaohs were considered his descendants and earthly incarnations. In ancient tales, he represented the fertility of the Nile Valley and the hierarchical order of the Egyptian state. His uncle Seth, who had murdered Osiris, symbolized the elements that threatened order, such as the aridity of the desert and foreign peoples. For this reason, Horus waged a constant struggle against Seth.
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The Eye of Horus as an Amulet
The Eye of Horus played an important role in the religious imagery of ancient Egypt, as it was attributed magical, healing, and protective properties, capable of curing illnesses, preventing dangers, impeding all kinds of evils, and repelling enemies.
For this reason, it was engraved on amulets intended to care for children and the sick, and it was inscribed on the walls of sarcophagi and tombs to protect the dead. Amulets in the shape of the Eye of Horus were also placed on wounds made on a body during mummification, and it was frequently depicted in temples dedicated to the gods.
Some mythical tales distinguished between the right and left eyes of Horus: the former was associated with the sun and, therefore, with the domains of the sun god Ra (the Eye of Ra), while the latter was associated with the moon and Horus (the Eye of Horus). It was an emblem of restoration, of the attainment of wholeness, and of the return to the fullness of existence.
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Eye of Horus and Egyptian Fractions
Some studies of the Eye of Horus revealed that, in addition to its religious connotations, its hieroglyphic symbol contained all the mathematical symbols used by the ancient Egyptians to represent the fractions with which they measured the capacity or volume of grain.
The Egyptian system almost always used unit fractions (i.e., with a numerator of 1), so it assigned symbols taken from the different parts of the Eye of Horus to denote one-half (1/2), one-quarter (1/4), one-eighth (1/8), one-sixteenth (1/16), one-thirty-second (1/32), and one-sixty-fourth (1/64).
Some Egyptologists believe that this relationship between the Eye of Horus and the fractions can be explained by the mythical tale. In it, the god Thoth, in his search for the Eye of Horus to replace it, collected the fragments scattered throughout Egypt until he managed to complete it and restore it as a whole. However, other researchers question this interpretation.
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References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, which ensure reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- Baines, J. R. and Dorman, P. F. (2025). Ancient Egyptian Religion. Encyclopedia Britannica. britannica.com
- Hart, G. (2005). The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Routledge.
- Pinch, G. (2002). Handbook of Egyptian Mythology. ABC-CLIO.
- The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2024). Eye of Horus. Encyclopedia Britannica. britannica.com
- Wilkinson, R. H. (1995). How to Read Egyptian Art. A Guide to Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Critique.
- Eye of Horus information, What It Is, Origin, Function, Amulets, and More – concepto.de
