Emblem of the East

The ancient Egyptian Emblem of the East, Gardiner sign listed no. R15, is a portrayal of a standard, surmounted by the "Symbol of the East"; the hieroglyph is a member of the Gardiner signs for temple furniture and emblems.

The Emblem of the East is used by the Goddess Iabet. Her companion goddess is the Goddess Amunet, represented by the Emblem of the West.

The emblem for 'East' is an ideogram in the Egyptian language word i3bt, for "east"; it is also used for i3by, meaning "left". The symbol for the 'West'-(="right") was considered 'good', and thus the East symbol sometimes symbolized the opposite of good, evil. However, the sun rises in the East, thus the solar cult often used the symbol.