Horus. God of the sky. The sun and moon are said to be his eyes. On nights of the New Moon he is workshiped as the God of the Blind. He is usually depicted as a falcon, either in human or full bird form.
Horus is the son of Isis and her dead husband, Osiris. When he was born, his mother hid home from his father's murderer Seth.
Horus later avenged the death of his father against Seth. In this battle, which lasted 80 years, Horus lost his left eye (the moon). Horus was identified with Lower Egypt and Seth with Upper Egypt in this battle. After 80 long years, the Gods judged Horus to be the winner, and Seth was either killed or castrated. The result of this victory was the union of Upper and Lower Egypt.
The Egyptian pharaoh was believed to be an incarnation of Horus, and the name of Horus formed part of his name. The pharaoh was said to become Horus after death. Seth restored the eye he had torn from Horus, but Horus gave it instead to Osiris. The image of the "eye of Horus", a human eye combined with the cheek markings of a falcon, became a powerful amulet among the Egyptians.
When Horus gave his eye to his father, it restored Osiris' life. The Eye of Horus will forever remain a symbol of protection.
Because of his battles against injustice, Horus is also seen as the Protector God, a God who attacks and destroys evil where and whenever he can.
Finished Here?
Back to Egyptian Deities
Back to Deities
Back to the Homepage
