Questions in Egyptology 6: Did Anubis Have a Magic Eye? — Julia Herdman Books
In popular and media culture, Anubis is often falsely portrayed as the sinister god of the dead. This version of Anubis gained popularity during the 20th and 21st centuries through books, video games, and movies. Artists gave him evil powers, including an evil eye, and a dangerous army. Despite his nefarious reputation, his image is still the most recognizable of the Egyptian gods, and replicas of his statues and paintings remain popular, somehow people are attracted to what they believe to be this ancient Egyptian god’s power over life and death. These factors are probably the origin of the ‘Eye of Anubis stories.’ There are plenty of examples of Eye of Anubis tattoo designs online.
A popular website for tattooists explains the symbolism of the Anubis Eye. As a Jackal-headed figure, Anubis was the god of the dead and Afterlife. He symbolized the optimistic side of death, focusing on the peace, protection, and respect that come with it. Whereas the Eye of Horus: in ancient Egypt, Horus was the Sky God. As a tattoo design, Horus’ left eye symbolizes ‘the gift of life.’ The Eye of Ra, Horus’ right eye, symbolized the ultimate protection of the ‘eternal watcher.’ The god Anubis was the preeminent God of cemeteries and embalming, and hence an agent of resurrection — and so Anubis became connected with the good side of death in the Tattooist’s Dictionary.
The real Egyptian god Anubis is depicted in the form of a black canine of uncertain species with a collar and sash around his neck, or as a man with the head of such a canine. He was initially independent in his responsibility for the care of the corpse and the deceased’s transition to a new life in the other world; and was only gradually incorporated in the Osirian myth. Anubis became the protector of graves as early as the First Dynasty (c. 3100 — c. 2890 BC), and is shown performing the Opening of the Mouth ceremony in tomb art and papyri. He was also described as one of the guides of souls in the Afterlife along with Thoth and Hathor.
In the Middle Kingdom Coffin Texts, for example, Anubis is said to have been “caused to descend from the sky to put Osiris in order, because he [Osiris] was so highly regarded by Re and the Gods” I CT Spell 908. Anubis is at times affirmed to be the son of Re and can be given Hesat or Bast as his mother. However, Plutarch has him as the illegitimate son of Osiris and Nephthys.
So, Anubis is an old god but his origins are unclear. However, there are no references in the texts to him having a special or magical eye.
The Eye motif was however a powerful one in ancient Egypt.
Osiris’s name is written the hieroglyph of an eye. His name may have originally meant ‘He with many eyes.’
The Magic Eye of Re
The sun god Re was described as having two eyes. His left eye was the moon in the shape of Shu, who is more usually described as the god of air or space; his right eye was the sun in the form of the lion-headed goddess Tefnut who is most often but erroneously described as a god of moisture. Shu was Re’s cool eye of reason, while Tefnut was his hot eye of vengeance together, they were ma’at. The cool eye of Shu is also known as the Eye of Horus or Wadjet (or Ujat, meaning “Whole One”) is a powerful symbol of protection in ancient Egypt, also known as the “all-seeing eye “.
Shu is life and death; Shu was breath, the moon and yesterday, Re, was conceived of as today and as the sun he was born between the thighs of Nut, Tefnut was thought of as tomorrow, she is the god who smites Re’s enemies and scorches the land when she is unpacified.
The Magic Eye in the tomb of Pashedu (TT3)
Pashedu is believed to be a New Kingdom craftsman and the first member of his family to work in the artistic community at Deir el-Medina. His father, Menna, worked at the Temple of Amun. Pashedu began his career as a stonemason and was later promoted to foreman. He and his wife, Nedjembehdet had several children. In death he was honoured with the title, “Servant in the Place of Truth on the West of Thebes”. We know this because he decorated his tomb in the same way as that of his royal masters.
In the picture of his tomb above, we can see the libation bowl held by the Eye of Horus being filled with a strange substance emanating from Pashedu’s flail (Pashedu had represented himself as Osiris in the same way the king did in his tomb). The magical Eye is being filled. How this related to the Afterlife is revealed in my upcoming book.
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Originally published at https://juliaherdman.com on May 2, 2021.