Illuminati Symbol Origins

I was wondering if anybody knows the origins of the illuminati symbol, the eye in the triangle, I ask this as I have recently seen an old sword, believed to be 16th or 17th century that has this symbol engraved in the blade along with several saints.

Has anyone got any answers?

Neil

Lot's of information out there on this... you should be able to find plenty on your own.

To start you off, try this link:

en.wikipedia.org...

Found an ATS thread with a bit of info in, here. Not much though.

I also found this too, it looks like its a right eye, which according to the ATS thread, is the eye of Ra. Mad eh?

I always thought it was the Eye of Horus...

But I googled "Eye of Horus" and "Eye of Ra" and the pics that came up were pretty much the same eye.

I'm not terribly knowledgeable in Egyptian mythology... was Horus a manefestation of Ra?

Thanks for the quick replies, I took Firebats suggestion and did a bit of googling, lots of different ideas, it may have come from the eye of Horus, or not, it could mean the eye of god, or the devil, so I'm still quite confused as to why it would be on a sword from the 17th century, or maybe it's later, I'll try to find out the exact date.

Would the sword be Masonic, or was the symbol used by others? I think the sword is Italian but again I don't have the details.

Oh yes, found out that it is likely that the eye of horus was the left eye and Ra was the right.

Originally posted by firebat
I always thought it was the Eye of Horus...

But I googled "Eye of Horus" and "Eye of Ra" and the pics that came up were pretty much the same eye.

I'm not terribly knowledgeable in Egyptian mythology... was Horus a manefestation of Ra?

Sort of, although technically he was Ra's grandson. The whole myth system there is sort of paradoxical, with different components contradicting others. In general, Horus led a great battle against Set (who by this time in Egyptian history was considered a demonic figure). Horus defeated Set, but in the final showdown, Set was able to stab Horus in the eye, partially blinding him. Thoth, the God of Science and Magic, then placed the disembodied eye in the heavens, where it became the sun.

This sort of contradicts the myth of the Osirian cult, which claimed that the sun was actually the disembodied phallus of Osiris (who was likewise mutilated by that rascally Set). Obviously, both the Osirians and the Horusians were sun worshipers.



[edit on 17-7-2006 by Masonic Light]

Originally posted by Masonic Light
This sort of contradicts the myth of the Osirian cult, which claimed that the sun was actually the disembodied phallus of Osiris (who was likewise mutilated by that rascally Set).

You know, I contemplated making some sort of cheap shot phallus joke, then I read this:

Wikipedia - Horus

By the Nineteenth dynasty, the previous brief enmity between Set and Horus, in which Horus had ripped off one of Set's testicles, was revitalised as a separate tale. Set was considered to have been homosexual and is depicted as trying to prove his dominance by seducing Horus and then having intercourse with him. However, Horus places his hand between his thighs and catches Set's semen, then subsequently cut the hand off, throwing it in the river, so that he may not be said to have been inseminated by Set.

Subsequently, Horus deliberately spreads his own semen on some lettuce, which was Set's favourite food (the Egyptians thought that lettuce was phallic). After Set has eaten the lettuce, they go to the gods to try to settle the argument over the rule of Egypt. The gods first listen to Set's claim of dominance over Horus, and call his semen forth, but it answers from the river, invalidating his claim. Then, the gods listen to Horus' claim of having dominated Set, and call his semen forth, and it answers from inside Set. In consequence, Horus is declared the ruler of Egypt.

Dude... seriously... I may never be able to watch 'Stargate' again.

Obviously, both the Osirians and the Horusians were sun worshipers.

Yeah, worshippers of the sun! Nudge, nudge, wink, wink...