The son of Osiris and Isis, Egyptian Horus was a god of the sky, light, and goodness who soared above and protected the land of the Pharaohs. He is usually depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon’s head wearing the crown of all Egypt.

Kings of Egypt

The falcon-headed god, the kings of Egypt associated themselves with Horus. Egyptian Horus was among the most important gods of Egypt, particularly because the Pharaoh was supposed to be his earthly embodiment.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Horus was one of five offspring of the original pair of Egyptian gods, Ra and Rhea. Horus’s name means ‘He who is above’ and is probably linked to his status as a god of the sky and to the high soaring of the falcon. He is probably most well-known as the protector of the ruler of Egypt. The use of his name was also widespread in personal names throughout Egyptian history.

Egyptian Horus

Egyptian Horus was also known as the patron saint of the existing pharaoh. In fact, the pharaoh was often referred to as the ‘Living Horus’. Kings would eventually take the name of Horus as one of their own. At the same time, the Pharaohs were the followers of Re and so Horus became associated with the sun as well.

Perhaps the most well-known version of the Horus mythology involves the birth of Horus following the death of his father. In this tale, Horus’ parents are Osiris and Isis. Osiris was slain by his adversary and brother, Seth, prior to the birth of Horus. Later he was believed to have avenged the death of his father.

The war that ensued as a result of Horus’ attempts to avenge his father lasted for eighty years, with mutual casualties occurring between the two ancient Egyptian gods. In one scenario, Seth, even more, an eye from Horus. It is believed that this incident led to Horus’ association with his one eyed symbol.

Eye of Horus

The eye of Horus is also known as Wedjat or Oudjat. In magic, the Eye of Horus symbolizes protection and the bringing of wisdom. The eye also symbolizes our ability to see with clarity and truthfulness. The Eye of Horus was believed to have healing and protective power, and it was used as a protective amulet.

Horus is a complicated deity, appearing in many different forms and his mythology is one of the most extensive of all Egyptian deities. The original form of Horus was probably that of a sky god, known as “lord of the sky”.

The Egyptian word ” her” (hor, har), from which the god’s name is derived means “the one on high”, or “the distant one”, probably in reference to the soaring flight of the hunting falcon, if not a reference to the solar aspect of the god. Mythologically, the god was imagined as a celestial falcon, whose right eye was the sun and left eye the moon.