The wedjat, as the Eye of Horus, is one of the most popular amulets of ancient Egypt. The amulet combines elements of both human and falcon ocular imagery, as Horus was often depicted as a falcon. Its name comes from the ancient Egyptian ‘wḏꜣt’, meaning “the one that is complete”. The wedjat was highly apotropaic and associated with a number of Egyptian myths. The eye depicted could be either left or right, representing different imagery. In one creation myth, Horus’ eye was injured or stolen by the god Seth and then restored by Thoth. Hence, the wedjat eye was thought to possess healing powers and symbolise regeneration. This healing and regenerative association is further enhanced by the properties of the lunar eye of Horus. As it waxes and wanes like the moon, it is thought to bring health and safety to its wearer. In another myth, Horus presents his healed eye to his father Osiris, to help him pass safely into his afterlife. Thus, wedjat eye amulets were commonly placed within mummy wrappings to help the dead pass safely into the afterlife.
Poppy or thistle amulets often appear in association with healing, the removal of pain and death. Amulets of this type were also connected to the Egyptian god Osiris, who was the god of agriculture as well as death and the afterlife. Thistles were common all over Egypt, but especially around the Nile. It is thought that they were peeled and boiled before consumption, with the thistle used in some parts of the world as a herbal treatment for hepatic disorders. As in modern symbolism, poppies also carried associations with rebirth and resilience due to the hardy nature of the plant. Indeed, there is evidence for the extraction of morphine from poppies in the ancient world.
To discover more about Egyptian amulets, please visit our relevant blog post: Amulets in Ancient Egypt.
