Eye of the Dawn is an Ancient device created by Janus. Janus took the eye to the Milky Way, but then it ended up on the planet Holdus. Warlord Arigan of Holdus found the eye and put it in his collection, then used it on those who opposed him and believed he vaporized them. Before Vala Mal Doran went with SGC then tried to steal the eye from Arigan but failed and she thought it was a matter short range transporter and thought she carried Latika wife of Arigan but he made her believe that she was vaporised.
Daniel Jackson read the text on the eye and realized that the eye was a device that stored objects or people in it. Vala used the eye during her trial on Holdus, and liberated Latika and all those who Arigan imprisoned in the eye. The eye remained on Holdus, awaiting another buyer or museum. (SG1: "Shell Game")