W221
W221
Wadjet eye faience plaque. The item measures 10.3×8.7x13mm.
Such items were placed on mummies. The four holes, one in each corner of the plaque, would have been used to attach it to the mummy bandage.
The wadjet eye is perhaps the best known of Egyptian amulets and relates to the story of the fight between Horus and Seth. In this Seth took out Horus’s eye but the eye is made whole again and is thus a symbol of healing.
This is a right eye. Usually the wedjet eye is considered the left lunar Eye and the right Eye is considered the Eye of Re. However the ancient Egyptians did not always distinguish between the two.
The item is made out of faience which is associated with rebirth both because of its shiny quality and its green colour.
The item was purchased by Wellcome in 1922 from the MacGregor collection.
Related items:
Embalming plaques (including versions in white metal and in wax)
