The mysterious Eye of Horus is one of the most famous symbols from ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians used it as a symbol of protection, royal power, and good health. This is probably why the Eye of Horus tattoos are so popular even today among other Egyptian tattoos. If you are thinking about getting an eye of Horus tattoo or looking for some inspiration then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will explore the meanings of the eye of Horus tattoos and the legends behind it. We have also put together a collection of 100 Eye of Horus tattoos and designs for your inspiration.
Contents
Who was Horus?
The story of Horus is probably one of the most famous and crucial stories of ancient Egypt. The story of betrayal and murder, and the fight of Good and Evil. Horus was an Egyptian sky god with a falcon head. He was the son of Osiris, the god of the dead and Isis, the goddess of marriage and wisdom. The ancient Egyptians believed that Osiris was the king of Egypt and was murdered by his brother Set for the throne. By using magic, Isis managed to bring Osiris back to life temporarily and became pregnant with Horus.
The Legends – The Eye of Horus
When Horus reached adulthood, he sought to avenge his father’s murder and overthrow Set. Horus fought Set in a series of battles and defeated him. In the final battle, Seth gouged out Horus’s left eye and smashed it into six pieces. Thoth, the god of wisdom, collected the pieces and restored it for Horus. Legend says that he borrowed moon power to repair the eye. When he presented the cured eye to Horus, instead of using it, he offered the eye to his father, Osiris. He put it as a third eye on the forehead of Osiris. The eye aroused a new consciousness in Osiris and brought the light into the darkness of the underworld. The Eye of Horus was born as a symbol of restoration, healing, love, protection, and sacrifice.
Because Thoth used magic to restore the eye, the ancient Egyptians believed that it had healing and protective powers. They used it as a protective Amulets and created the symbol with a variety of materials and used them as jewelry for both the living and the dead.
Eye of Horus VS Eye of RA Tattoo
If you do a google search on the eye of Horus, then you will see thousands of right eyes, which is actually the Eye of RA. Horus’s right eye (Eye of RA) represents the sun (masculine energy) while the left eye represents the moon (feminine energy) and also known as the “Eye of Horus.” However, both eyes are in the physical body of Horus, so both are Horus’s eyes. In a separate article, we will talk about the Eye of RA tattoos.
Deconstructing The Eye
Besides its mythological meanings, the Eye of Horus also had a real analogy in ancient Egyptian medicine. There were six forms of perception corresponding to the Horus eye. These six perceptions are smell, sight, thought, hearing, taste, and touch.
These fractions composed the pieces of an old Egyptian measure of capacity. Ancient Egyptians used them as a medical means of measuring dosages at the preparation of prescriptions.
The Third Eye
It is interesting to note that if you add the fractions of the above pieces, the total is 63/64 instead of 64/64. According to an old hieroglyphic text, the remaining sixty-fourth is the hidden magical piece that Thoth used to restore the eye. Many people believe that this piece corresponds to the human’s sixth sense—the sixth sense, also known as the third eye. There is a tiny part of the brain that is associated with the psychic experience known as the Pineal gland.
The Eye of Horus bears an uncanny resemblance to the centre of the brain (Pineal gland).
The third eye within the Chakra system is representative of internal intuition, vision, and the ability to see a situation (the past, present, and future). As a symbol, it amplifies our spiritual forces and connects us with the divine.
Eye of Horus Tattoo Meanings
The eye of Horus represents quite a few different things. The Eye of Horus tattoos represents protection, illumination, wisdom, health, prosperity, and our spiritual ability to perceive and interpret the unseen and the seen in the universe. It also represents the third eye.
Tattoo Placements
Tattoo placements depend on the size and the design of your tattoo. For a small Eye of Horus tattoo, the best spots are the wrist, ankle, back of the neck and behind the ear. If you want to get a bigger tattoo, then the calf, arm, forearm, back, or chest will provide more space. The placements also depend on how discrete you want to be. If you don’t want to expose your tattoo, then you can get in on your chest, back, or arm.
Tattoo Designs
You can have only the eye tattoo just by itself. But a lot of people combine it with other symbols like an ankh or a scarab. You can also incorporate other mythological elements or elements of your choice with the eye. Adding a bit of color can make it pop more. There is some really cool Eye of Horus tattoos in watercolor as well.
Eye of Horus Tattoos on The Chest
Chest provides a larger canvas. So, you can get this tattoo on the side of the chest, or in the middle, close to the shoulder, or right under the neck.
Eye of Horus Tattoo on Neck
The back of the neck is the perfect spot for a small eye of the Horus tattoo. The flat surface allows you to add more details to your tattoo. Guys often get it on the front of the side of the neck as well as the back.
Leave a Reply