[terminator05]

I was wondering if anyone knew what the following symbols stood for:

1. The Eye of Ra
2. The Egyptian Ankh

[Ygramul]

I believe the Eye of Ra acts as both a protective signal and a reminder of the omnificence of Ra. The Egyptian Ankh is the general hyroglyph for life.

[terminator05]

Thanks, do you know where I can get a picture of the Egyptian symbol of death?

[Kailan]

Hi,

The Eye of Ra is known as the Udjat or Wedjat. It is the Eye of Ra or the Eye of Horus. As a symbol, it is protective and generally lucky.

The Eye of Ra is sometimes synonymous with the Sun itself. In particular, the Sun-disc, which was, in some texts, considered to be the right eye of the Sun-god, Horus. Some stories describe the Sun as an Eye. In one creation myth, humankind was created from the tears shed by the Sun. This myth is based on word play between the Anicen Egyptian words for "tears" and for "people."

In an early myth, the god-king, Osiris, was killed by his brother Seth, and was later healed by his son, Horus, who fed (!) Osiris his eye! Clearly, by this time, the Eye was considered to have healing properties. Other versions of this myth have Horus fighting his uncle, Seth. In battle, Seth injures Horus' left eye. This eye (the left) is associated with the Moon.

The Eye also has feminine associations. As the sun-disc, it is the womb in which the sun-child develops. At night, it travels through the body of the sky goddess, Nut, and the Sun is then born in the morning.

Ra's daughter, Sekhmet, is known as his Eye. She is a goddess of both detstruction and protection. In one myth, Ra sent her forth to destroy all of mankind. She is called upon in times of war. She is a lion goddess. However, the roles of Egyptian goddesses are often very fluid and, although this story is most often quoted with the goddess, Sekhmet, in the principle role, she is interchangeable with the goddesses, Tefnut and Mafdet.

Many Egyptian texts refer to Ra sending out his Eye. As a protective symbol the Eye is, at times, synonymous with the cobras worn on the brow of the king, which are said to spit fire at the kings enemies. This is the usually the meaning when texts refer to the Eye being worn on the forehead.

The ankh is the Egyptian symbol for life. No-one is completely sure of what it depicts - perhaps the knot of a sandal. Again, it is a lucky symbol. Gods and kings are shown carrying the ankh and, in some situations, kings are shown being purified by having ankhs poured over them, like water.

The Egyptians were very superstitious and much preferred symbols of life and luck to those of death! The Egyptian word for death was "mwt," pronounced something like "moot." It would have been spelt with the glyph of a mummified body.

The closest to a symbol of death might be the jackal-headed god, Anubis. He was actually the symbol of a successful burial and resurrection in the afterlife, So was a symbol of hope rather than despair. Jackals probably roamed through the ancient necropolis - hence his appearance. He is shown either as a jackal or as a jackal-headed man and his Egyptian name would have been pronounced something like "anpu." He is closely related to another jackal-headed god - Wepwawet - whose name means "the Opener of the Ways" because he was believed to open the paths to the Afterlife for the dead.

Hope this helps. :)