Eye of Horus : Meaning and Signification of an ancient Symbol

The eye of Horus (Udjat, Wadjet or Wedjat in Ancient Egyptian) means "complete".

• Mythological context

Osiris, king of ancient Egypt, was drowned in the Nile by his brother, Set, who reclaims the throne in Egypt. Driven by revenge for the death of his father, Horus declares war on his uncle Set. After multiple battles, Set is defeated and Horus regains power in Egypt.

During a fight, Set tears out Horus' left eye, cuts it into six pieces and throws it into the Nile. Using a net, Thoth retrieves the pieces, but one is missing! Thoth adds it back and gives Horus back his vital integrity. The sum of the fractions of the Udjat is only 63/64; the missing 1/64 is the magic binder added by Thot to allow the eye to function.

The Udjat later became for the Egyptians a symbol of light and knowledge (the eye of the falcon that sees all), physical wholeness, abundance, and fertility. The Egyptians used the Udjat eye as a protective amulet in daily life and in funeral rites. It was regarded as a good-luck charm and appeared in many paintings and amulets to prevent disease, symbolize invulnerability, fertility, and ward off evil spirits.

And to commemorate forever the struggle of Good against Evil, as well as to guarantee total clairvoyance, universal fertility and good harvests, the accounting scribes used the Udjat. A pupil-scribe once remarked to his master that the total of the fractions of the Udjat did not give 1; he was answered that the 1/64 missing to perfect the unit would always be provided by Thoth to the calculator which would thus place itself under his protection...

• The distinctive meanings of the parts of the Eye of Horus

Each of the six parts of the Eye of Horus corresponds to a different meaning.

* The right side of the eye is associated with the sense of smell because it is closest to the nose and resembles this organ. Needless to say, the pupil represents the sense of sight, while the eyebrow represents thought, because it can be used to express our thoughts.

* The left side of the eye represents the sense of hearing, because it points to the ear and is shaped like a musical instrument.

* The curved tail looks like a germ from a wheat or grain stalk that has been planted. As a representation of food, this part of the Eye of Horus corresponds to the sense of taste.

* Finally, the tear is supposed to represent the sense of touch, as this part of the eye represents a stem planted in the ground, an act that involves physical contact and touch.

• Is the Eye of Horus a magical mathematical symbol?

It is interesting to note that the Eye of Horus is not only a magical symbol, but also an example of the mathematical knowledge acquired by the ancient Egyptians.

In the myth mentioned above, Set tore the Eye of Horus into six parts. As a symbol, the Eye of Horus contains six parts. Each of them received a fraction as a unit of measurement -

The right side of the eye is 1/2, the pupil 1/4, the eyebrow 1/8.

The left side of the eye is 1/16, the curved tail 1/32 and the tear 1/64.

These fractions total 63/64, and it is said that the missing part either represents Thoth's magical powers or illustrates that nothing is perfect.

In ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic spelling, isolated parts of the Eye of Horus symbol were supposed to be used to write various fractions.

• • What is the relationship between the eye of Horus and the golden ratio?

  The sum of the inverses of the powers of 2 (from 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 + 1/32 + ...) is an infinite sequence which is worth 1.

  It is difficult to find a link with the golden ratio, so to say that the eye of Horus has a relationship with the golden ratio is mathematically false.

• Why is a piece of the Udjat eye missing?

When Thot recovers the fragments of the eye, it is incomplete, a fragment is missing, which he decides to replace and that is why it is missing 1/64.

• Why the eye is sometimes in one direction and sometimes in the other?

The eye is generally represented in the writing direction of the hieroglyphs, so it is often a left eye.

Some beliefs associate different attributes to the left eye (rather male, scientific) and the right eye (rather female and literary), these are beliefs (besides their sexist side) that engage only those who believe in them.
 

• How is the Eye of Horus use today? 

Although ancient Egyptian civilization ended, belief in the power of the Eye of Horus has endured and this symbol is still used by many today. For example, in Mediterranean countries, fishermen often painted this symbol on their boats for protection. In addition, many people still wear the Eye of Horus as jewelry to protect themselves from the ill will of others. 

Ours Eye of Horus Jewels  

You can find it represented on many of our jewels. It takes the aspect of a human eye made up with two features that are used to represent the falcon, in other words Horus. Indeed, he was a god with the head of a falcon. The Oudjat is then present on necklaces, earrings, etc... You will be able to benefit from this protective amulet or to make the one who will wear it benefit from it. It exists for all styles. You can find it in gold, silver or colored. In a more feminine or masculine version. You can choose to wear it hidden under your clothes or in full view of everyone according to your desires.