A pool of pure, untainted Saidin. Created by a hundred Aes Sedai, male and female, who for some reason had to sacrifice their own lives in order to cleanse the Saidin. Its only apparent purpose, to hide the banner, the Horn, and the Seal. Surely one hundred Aes Sedai could find a better way to hide these three things. And if they couldn't, why would it still be necessary to cleanse the Saidin they. I believe that the Eye had another purpose. So did Ishamael, I believe. P. 204 of tEotW: Ishamael asks Rand "Did they [the Aes Sedai] tell you the Eye of the World would serve you?" What does this mean? How would the Eye serve Rand? It has to be more than merely by giving him the objects hidden in it. It is said the the Eye was created to help mankind in its most desparate hour of need. What is the greatest hour of need? The Last Battle. What would the most helpful aid to it be? If the Dragon Reborn did not go insane beforehand. I believe that that is the true purpose of the Eye of the World. I think that the fact that all of the Saidin in it was cleansed is a hint as to its true purpose. Perhaps it was something like a giant Ter' angreal, set up so that the first person to channel it would somehow be protected from the taint. I can go more in depth with this, but I would like to hear some responses, first. But, remember, in one of the last couple of chapters of tEotW, Moiraine herself thinks about the Eye for a moment or two. Idly wondering if there was some further purpose to the Eye. And how many times have offhand comments and thoughts come true? Even if I am wrong I still maintain that we haven't heard the last of The Eye of the World.