![]() The Eye of Horus developed during the First Dynasty (around 3000-2890 BCE), and became associated with several different gods over time. The first use of Ra’s eye was in ancient Egypt’s Predynastic period, which was between around 6000 – 3150 BCE. One theory is that it was inspired by naturalistic observations in ancient Egypt – such as watching cats or crocodiles. There are many different theories about how the Eye of Ra came to be. Whereas Ra was a sun god, and was therefore associated with life-giving power and destruction, as was his eye. Horus was a sky god associated with life and fertility- he had many different forms, such as falcon or human, which came together in syncretism (the combination of religious beliefs) to create something new. The two eyes together represent balance and harmony, but also protection from evil entities or bad things that might happen to a person. The Eye of Ra represents the right eye and the sun, while the Eye of Horus represents the left eye and the moon. The Eye of Ra is similar to the Eye of Horus, so they are often confused, but it also has key differences. It was only after passing out from the alcohol that the eye was able to calm down and return to Ra. In this case, the eye had become Sekmet, the fearsome Egyptian goddess. It would go on a rampage and kill most of mankind, so Ra made his eye drink red beer until it passed out from drunkenness. In another Egyptian myth, when Ra became enraged at the way humans had become, he sent out his eye to punish them. When his first reappeared, it felt betrayed and upset, so in order to appease the eye, Ra turned it into a uraeus and wore it on his forehead. While this happened, Ra grew a new eye in place of his first one. Consumed by grief, Ra sent out his eye to look for his children, which was able to locate them and reunite them with Ra. In one of those myths, Ra’s children, known as Tefnut and Shu, disappeared. There are many different myths involving the Eye of Ra. The Eye of Ra in Ancient Egyptian Mythology Its destructive power can also be seen as a warning against evil deeds if you did something wrong, then the Eye of Ra would see you and punish you. The Eye of Ra was also believed to be able to see anything, which is why it was often placed above doorways or entrances in temples- so that no one could escape its watchful gaze. It was often used as a symbol of royal authority, along with the crook and flail. It also represents truth and justice, and its power over nature (life) is seen in many places throughout Egyptian history. This is because it represented all life, since without the sun they would not be able to grow crops and live as a society. Typically, the Egyptian Eye of Ra represented the destructive power of the sun, which nevertheless was one of the most important parts of Egyptian life. It’s important to be careful when identifying the meaning and purpose of a symbol, as they can often have multiple uses throughout the years. It is also considered a female symbol, whereas Ra is considered male. The Eye of Ra is independent of Ra himself and can be seen as a separate entity. The teardrop coming from the eye might also signify a few things- one being water or rain falling from heaven, referring to one of the Eye of Ra’s roles in fertility and rebirth. Some say the eye is simply a metaphor for the sun, and that it is the Eye of Ra (the Sun God) looking out onto his creation. ![]() The Eye of Ra/Re/Rah has been called the “eye of truth,” because it was believed to be able to see anything, and nothing could escape its watchful gaze. In some cases, the eye acts in multiple female-related relationships to the God Ra, such as mother, sibling, consort, and even daughter. It sometimes stands on its own and sometimes is equated with other goddesses. Although it was present in many different forms, from hieroglyphs to carvings, the most well-known depiction would be a human eye with a teardrop coming out of it. The Eye of Ra is an ancient Egyptian symbol. Additional Questions about the Eye of RaĪlso, don’t forget to visit our Egyptian Mythology hub, where we have a LOT more articles like this one.Where to Learn More About Ancient Egypt. ![]()
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