REFLECTIONS ON LINEAR B, part 13: SIGN 21 MAY DERIVE FROM THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN 'WEDJAT EYE' ('EYE OF HORUS' BUT ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH RA)

Authors

• Gerald Leonard Cohen, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow

Language(s)

English

Abstract

This article suggests that Linear B sign 21 (of unknown origin) may derive from the ancient Egyptian 'wedjat eye' (Eye of Horus), either directly or more likely via Linear A. Also, sign 21 's pronunciation (traditionally designated 'qi') consisted of a labial-velar +/i/ (therefore k^wi, g^wi, or g^hwi), and one of these three forms (kwi) is known to be contained in the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) dual of 'eye':

*h₃ok^wih1 later shortened to *ok^w- (as reflected, for example, in Latin                        oculus 'eye').

Linear B 'qi' (in its *k^wi form) would reflect a thus far previously unnoticed Greek remnant of the PIE dual form *h₃Jok^wih. (The previous earliest noticed Greek attestation of the dual of 'eye' is osse.)

And why the dual of 'eye' here? Because Horus, who lost an eye in his battle with his uncle Set (murderer of Horus's father, Osiris) had his lost eye restored miraculously by the god Thoth. The key word here is 'restored.' The restoration of Horus's lost eye became a major event in ancient Egyptian mythology, both in itself and because Horus offered the eye to his father Osiris. The eye's magic restorative powers helped Osiris to survive in the afterlife, and in connection with this mythology, images of the Eye of Horus came to be widely used as an amulet symbolizing protection/restoration.

Recommended Citation

Cohen, Gerald Leonard (2026) "REFLECTIONS ON LINEAR B, part 13: SIGN 21 MAY DERIVE FROM THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN 'WEDJAT EYE' ('EYE OF HORUS' BUT ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH RA)," Comments on Etymology: Vol. 55: Iss. 4, Article 1.
Available at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/coe/vol55/iss4/1