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"I have filled your eye with ointment... I have made it whole for you." – Ancient Egyptian Healing Spell.
The Eye of Horus, or Wedjat (meaning "The Whole One"), is one of the most powerful symbols of Ancient Egypt. It represents healing, restoration, protection, and sacrifice. Born from a violent myth, it became a tool for mathematics and a guarantee of safety for both the living and the dead.
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The Myth: Horus vs. Set
The origin of the symbol lies in the battle between Horus (the falcon god of the sky) and his uncle Set (the god of chaos) for the throne of Osiris. During a vicious struggle, Set tore out Horus's left eye (representing the Moon) and shattered it into six pieces.
Thoth, the god of wisdom and magic, gathered the pieces. Using his magic, he reassembled the eye and restored it to health. He famously "filled the eye with gold" or moonlight. Horus then offered his healed eye to his dead father, Osiris, to restore him to life. Thus, the eye became the ultimate symbol of sacrifice and healing.
The Mathematics of the Eye
To the Egyptian scribes, the Eye of Horus was not just a religious symbol; it was a computer. The six parts of the eye corresponded to the hieroglyphs for the Heqat fractions (a measure of volume for grain).
The Parts of the Eye
- Right side of eye (Smell): \( 1/2 \)
- Pupil (Sight): \( 1/4 \)
- Eyebrow (Thought): \( 1/8 \)
- Left side of eye (Hearing): \( 1/16 \)
- Curved tail (Taste): \( 1/32 \)
- Teardrop (Touch): \( 1/64 \)
The Missing Fraction
If you add these fractions (\( 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 + 1/32 + 1/64 \)), the total is \( 63/64 \). The missing \( 1/64 \) was said to be supplied by the magic of Thoth to make the eye "whole" again, symbolizing that perfection belongs only to the gods.
Protection for the Living and Dead
Because the eye was "made whole" after destruction, it was believed to have the power to fix anything that was broken—bodies, spirits, or nations.
- Amulets: Faience, gold, and stone Wedjat eyes were worn by the living to ward off illness and the "Evil Eye."
- Funerary Use: Pairs of Wedjat eyes were painted on the left side of rectangular coffins (Middle Kingdom). This allowed the mummy, which lay on its left side, to magically "look out" at the rising sun and receive offerings.
- Ship Prows: Painted on the bows of boats to allow the vessel to "see" its way forward and avoid dangers on the Nile.