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Osiris And Isis |
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Osiris is perhaps the most famous of the gods of Ancient Egypt.
Here he is shown in his typical guise as a mummified pharaoh holding
the hook and flail, the traditional symbols of royal authority.
Osiris is usually depicted wearing the feathered Atef
crown.
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Osiris is a common feature in Egyptian funerary art. As the
lord of the afterlife he is often shown in coffin
art. He also presides over the last judgment of the soul
shown in the Book of the Dead.
It was also common for the deceased person to be depicted in
the form of Osiris so they could be identified with the god both
to ease their passage into the afterlife, and also to serve as
a warning that the dead person was under Osiris' protection.
Isis was the sister and wife of Osiris and the mother of the
god Horus. This photograph shows Isis in a typical pose nursing
the infant Horus.
In some statues of this type the Pharaoh is shown in the place
of Horus, often as a miniature fully grown adult complete with
the nemes headcloth. |
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Both these photographs are of figures from the collection
of the National Museums of Scotland.
The Myth of Isis and Osiris
As with much of the ancient Egyptian mythology, there are
various versions of the story of Isis and Osiris, but basically
it runs as follows.......
Osiris was an earthly ruler, who was popular with his subjects.
His brother, Set, was jealous of this popularity and plotted
against Osiris.
Set's plans to be rid of his brother started when he secretly
obtained his brothers measurements and had a magnificent casket
made to fit. This casket was in the form of a human shaped box.
Set then organised a large feast to which Osiris and a number
of others (usually given as 72) were invited. At the height of
the festivities Set produced the casket and announced that it
would be given to whoever it fitted. All the guests tried the
casket for size, but none fitted until finally Osiris stepped
into the casket.
Set immediately slammed the lid closed and sealed the casket
shut (with molten lead). The sealed coffin was then thrown into
the Nile.
Isis was devastated at the loss of her husband and searched for
the casket throughout Egypt and then overseas. She eventually
eventually found it where it had come to rest in the roots of
a massive tree.
Isis then returned the coffin to Egypt for a proper burial. For
safe keeping she concealed it in the marshes beside the Nile.
Unfortunately for Isis Set found the casket while out hunting
and was so enraged he chopped the body of Osiris into pieces,
and scattered the parts throughout the land of Egypt.
Poor Isis had to then set out again looking for the parts of
her husband. Eventually she found all the parts except one and
reassembled Osiris and wrapped him in bandages. In some accounts
Isis breathed life back into Osiris' body and it was then that
Horus was conceived. This was a more magical event that it seems,
considering the one part of Osiris Isis couldn't find.
The young Horus then went out to battle his uncle Set and to
avenge his fathers death. After a series of fights detailed in
'The contendings of Horus and Set' neither god was able to secure
an overall victory. Ultimately Osiris was declared king of the
underworld,Horus king of the living, and Set ruler of the deserts
as the god of chaos and evil. |
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