Pronounced "udjat" by the Egyptians, the Eye of Horus represents a human eye with the cheek markings of a falcon. The ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus or "wedjat "('Whole One') is a powerful symbol of protection, and is also considered to confer wisdom, health and prosperity.
According to the old myth, Horus lost his left eye (the moon) in his war with Set, his uncle and the killer of his father Osiris. Set tore the eye into pieces. Pieces of the eye were discovered by Thoth and he was able to reassemble them into the full moon. Thoth, the wise moon god and the patron of the sciences and the art of writing, patiently put the Eye of Horus back in order and healed it.
This healing of the eye became a symbol of renewal of health. Horus gave the reassembled eye to his murdered father Osiris, thereby bringing him back to life.
The ancient Egyptians believed that this symbol has a very powerful and magical effect on restoring harmony to the unstabilized world and restoring unrightful things.
In the field of astronomy it is the moon symbol absolute and refers to the increasing completion of the moon disk. The Eye of Horus symbol was inspired by the "Eye of God" and "solar falcon" that are manifested during total solar eclipses.
Egyptians believed that the Eye of Horus was capable of healing sickness and capable of bringing the dead to life, as it did with Osiris. The eye was used as a funerary amulet for protection against evil and rebirth in the underworld. The Eye of Horus symbol was used in funerary rites and decoration, as instructed in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Mummies, coffins and tombs were decorated with eye amulets made from lapis lazuli or gold.
After 1200 BC, it was also used by the Egyptians to represent fractions. The Eye of Horus fraction system was based on the Eye of Horus symbol. This system was used to record prescriptions, land and grain.
The system is based on halves, a repeated division by two. Half of 1 equals 1/2, half of 1/2 equals 1/4 and so on until the smallest value of 1/64. By adding together the values of different sections fractions are created.
The value of a fraction was assigned to each individual part of the eye which Set had torn up according to the myth. Their total, corresponding to the restoration of the eye brought about by Thoth, should have added up to a whole. In fact, however, the total of the six fractions used results in only 63/64. It was assumed that Thoth had withheld the missing 1/64 by magic.
Also, interestingly, the 'Rx' symbol which is used by pharmacies and in medicine has its origins in the Eye of Horus.
Courtesy of King Tut Shop
Origin: witch-selena.blogspot.com
