Horus was one of the most significant Ancient Egyptian deities. He is most commonly depicted with the head of a falcon, and the body of a man. Horus was a sun and moon deity, and it was said that his right eye was the sun, and the left was the moon. The eye of Horus, also known as ‘Wedjat’, was an ancient symbol of protection, particularly for the afterlife, and was also used to deflect evil. It was highly influential in Egyptian life, with ancient sailors painting the image on the bow of their vessels to ward off evil.
There are six key parts to the Eye of Horus and each has its own value: the eyebrow represents thought; the pupil stands for sight; the triangle between the pupil and the white of the eye is hearing, whereas the white of the eye is smell; the spiral curve, or tail, represents taste; and the teardrop is touch.
Turquoise was a semi-precious stone used by the ancient Egyptians, usually along with carnelian and lapis lazuli. Whilst it was found in natural Egyptian sources, at mines in Sinai, it was a rare and expensive commodity. In lapidary work it was often reserved for small amulets, inlays and cloisonne work. To the ancient Egyptians, its bright blue/green colour was associated with fertility and vegetation. Like other semi-precious stones it was often substituted for other less costly materials of a similar colour. Turquoise faience, feldspar and glass were all materials swapped for the vibrant precious stone; the aim being to still deploy the apotropaic values of the colour to the item in question.
To discover more about amulets in the Ancient Egyptian world, please visit our relevant post: Amulets in Ancient Egypt.
