For the Ancient Egyptians, amulets were not only decorative but also utilitarian as an apotropaic force. Many amulets have been found inside the wrapping of mummies to ensure a safe journey into the afterlife, but amulets were also used by the living for protection or in order to have their wishes granted. Amulets had different meanings depending on their type or form, and small amulets depicting the gods, whether in a human or animal form, were thought to induce protective powers over the wearer.
Horus was one of the most important deities of Ancient Egyptian mythology and culture. He was often depicted as a falcon or hawk, or a man with a falcon head. He was considered to be the sky, and it was said that his right eye was the sun and his left one the moon. Horus was associated closely with Pharaonic rule and it was believed that the Egyptian pharaoh was the ‘living Horus’.
