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Osiris

Osiris, a prominent god of the Heliopolitan Ennead, is best known as the god of death, even though he
took on many other names and forms in ancient Egyptian mythology over time.

As the oldest son of Geb, the earth god, and Nut, the sky goddess, Osiris features in many stories and
myths documented in ancient religious texts. He is brother to Set, Horus the Elder, Isis, and Nephthys,
and father to Horus the Younger (with Isis) and ANUBIS (with Nephthys).

The most famous myth about Osiris is also a central one in ancient Egyptian religion. Different versions
are told, but it generally describes how he is killed by his jealous brother Set and his body then scattered
in pieces over Egypt. A grieving Isis searches for and finds all the pieces except his penis. Nephthys and
Anubis help her put the body back together but have to make him a new penis from gold. He comes
back to life just long enough for ISIS to become pregnant with Horus the Younger.

Mostly depicted as a partially mummified pharaoh, Osiris’ complexion is commonly green (representing
rebirth), but sometimes black (representing the fertile floodplain of the Nile River). On his head is often
the Atef crown, a headdress with two feathers on either side and a disc at the top. He usually has a
beard like those of the pharaohs and carried a crook and flail. The crook symbolizes his role as a
shepherd god.

After his death, Osiris became the king of the underworld. Instead of being feared in his role as the god
of death, he was associated with resurrection and regeneration, and his presence in the underworld was
viewed as comforting. This fact is illustrated in many portrayals where he wears a kind smile on his face.

Osiris absorbed and became associated with many other deities over time. They included Wepwawet,
Sahu, Banebdjed, and Anhur. This means that he was almost constantly worshipped across Egypt until
the rise of Christianity during the time of the Roman Empire. His cult continued in Philae, an island in the
Upper Nile, until the time of Emperor Justinian I (527 to 565).

Facts About Osiris

 Osiris (the Greek form of his name) was known as Asir in ancient Egypt. Other names or epithets
he went by, include “Lord of Eternity”, “Great God” and “Foremost of the Westerners”;

 According to myth, Osiris was the founder of agriculture. He allegedly persuaded the Egyptians
to end cannibalism (even though there is no evidence that they were indeed cannibals). This
myth is linked to his role of presiding over death and resurrection, processes which are
compared to the cycles of growth and decay experienced in nature;

 The people of ancient Egypt believed that Osiris disappeared into the underworld with their
crops during winter;
 Examples of corn mummies made of seeded dirt and molded to resemble Osiris were found in
Tutankhamen’s tomb. It is believed such “mummies” were placed in many tombs with the dead.
The seeds germinated in the dark are a symbol of rebirth;

 The people of Mendes worshipped Osiris’ soul as an aspect called Banebdjed, with “Ba”
referring to his soul and “djed” referring to a pillar. Benebdjed is depicted as a ram in ancient
Egyptian art;

 The ostrich feathers on each side of the Atef crown are said to represent Osiris’ cult center at
Djedu;

 Osiris’ prominence was evident in the fact that he was often simply referred to as “god.” He was
viewed as an equal and sometimes even superior to Ra, the sun god;

 Some myths held the belief that the pharaohs became Osiris when they died;

 During the Early Dynastic period, the center of Osiris’ worship was in Abydos, where his head is
said to be buried;

 The judgment scene in Book of the Dead describes how Osiris welcomes the deserving dead into
his kingdom after being judged by 42 divine judges. Those who did not live a good life are left to
the mercy of a “devourer”;

 After Osiris died at the hand of Set, Anubis presided over his mummification, thereby becoming
the first embalmer. Anubis was the original god of the underworld before Osiris took over;

 During Akhet, the first season of the ancient Egyptian calendar, festivals were held across Egypt
to celebrate Osiris’ life, death, and rebirth.
Egyptian God Osiris Facts
Osiris was the Ancient Egyptian god of the underworld and
the afterlife. He was also the god of resurrection and fertility,
especially the growth of crops.
The Nile was considered a powerful symbol of Osiris, and
the Ancient Egyptians gave him credit for the gift of barley,
one of their most important crops.

How can the same god represent both the underworld and
fertility, both the afterlife and life on Earth? Let’s find out!
Appearance
Osiris was usually depicted as a man with green skin and a
beard. He wore a white cone-shaped headdress with ostrich
feathers. His legs were partially wrapped, like a mummy.

In his hands, Osiris usually held a crook and a flail. The


shepherd’s crook likely represented the Ancient Egyptian
belief that Osiris was also the shepherd god.

Worship of Osiris
Historians believe that Osiris was worshipped as early as the
First Dynasty. However, the earliest records of his name are
from the Fifth Dynasty.

The Ancient Egyptians believed that worshipping Osiris


would bring healthy crops and prosperity. Ancient Egypt was
one of the most successful agricultural societies, and they
thanked Osiris for the growth of their crops.
They also believed that performing the rituals of Osiris
would guarantee eternal life in the afterlife. The Ancient
Egyptians believed that Osiris would care for and protect
them in the afterlife.

Osiris was worshipped daily and frequently celebrated in


ceremonies praising him. One of these celebrations was the
Great Mystery Festival, in addition to a five-day religious
ritual each spring.

These celebrations included feasting, religious services,


storytelling, plays, and other activities.

Osiris had a large temple at Abydos. Most Ancient Egyptians


wanted to be buried as close to the temple of Osiris as
possible.

There were also statues of Osiris in temples at Busiris,


Heliopolis, and others. The people of Ancient Egypt visited
these temples to pray and make offerings or sacrifices.

When they died, pharaohs were mummified to look like


Osiris. Often, they were also buried with “corn mummies” in
the shape of Osiris.

Mythology of Osiris
Osiris was the husband of Isis and the father of Horus. He
was the firstborn child of Geb and Nut, the god of earth and
the goddess of the skies. This meant that he inherited the
throne of Egypt.

His brother, Set, was jealous. He murdered Osiris. Luckily,


Osiris’s wife, Isis, used her magical powers to resurrect him.
It was at this point that they had their son, Horus.
Unfortunately, Osiris was never the same after his
experience with death.

For this reason, Osiris eventually returned to the underworld,


where he became the god of the underworld and of the
afterlife. Osiris was responsible for judging the souls of the
dead.

Osiris was viewed as a kind and loving judge. He brought


comfort to the people of Ancient Egypt rather than fear.

Other Interesting Facts About Osiris


Many festivals of Osiris included the creation of an “Osiris
garden.” This was a mold in the shape of Osiris. It was filled
with soil, planted with seeds, and watered with the water of
the Nile.

Later, the growing grain symbolized the rebirth and strength


of Osiris.
The Ancient Egyptians believed that Osiris once lived on
earth in human form and was the first king of the Egyptians.
He established the culture that formed the foundation of
Ancient Egyptian civilization.

In English, the original form of Osiris’s name means


Almighty or The Powerful.

Osiris is also known as the Lord of Silence, the Lord of Love,


and He Who Is Permanently Benign and Youthful.

Sometimes, Osiris was depicted wearing a crown that


included a drawing of the moon. Some researchers believe
that he was probably associated with the moon or with
nighttime.

Osiris is the only Ancient Egyptian deity who was sometimes


referred to simply as “god.” This gives us an idea of his
power and importance to the Ancient Egyptians.

Even when the Romans invaded Egypt and tried to get rid of
Ancient Egyptian religion, people continued to secretly
worship and celebrate Osiris for hundreds of years.

A 3,200-year-old replica of the tomb of Osiris was recently


discovered in in Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, a cemetery on
Thebes’ West bank.
Osiris is often considered to be the first ancient Egyptian god to be officially recorded
in written scripts of ancient Egypt. Since Osiris is the god of afterlife, many of his
carvings and inscriptions have been found in tombs and pyramids throughout Egypt.
The oldest carving or attestation of Osiris, found on a Palermo stone, dates back to
the year 2500 B.C. Records show that Osiris was widely worshiped in ancient Egypt,
until the Christian rulers abolished all pagan and Egyptian customs and traditions.

During that period of Egyptian history, Osiris was revered as the god who taught the
nuances of civilization to the inhabitants of the time. They were not only made
familiar with the concepts of agriculture and pottery, but were also given knowledge
about the complex subjects of law and order. This was not all. Osiris also instilled
faith in the minds of the Egyptians. They were taught to pray and worship the
supreme, and to lead a pious life.

The physical features of Osiris is considered a mystery, for he is known to have


possessed a green skin, and a rather long head rested on his broad shoulders. His name
means that he is the one who oversees everything, and has the power to 'begin all
good things'. His parenthood would be referred to in the following paragraph, but
before that it must also be noted that he is also associated with a constellation of the
solar system. The Egyptian lore believes that this deity hails from the Orion
constellation, and that soul rests there. Whatever may be the beliefs, the fact still
remains that this ancient Egyptian god deserves to be known, and the mystery about
him needs to be dispelled. Take a look at the following facts about Osiris given below.

Osiris and His Family Roots

In Egyptian mythology, Osiris is believed to be the eldest offspring of Geb (Egyptian


god of Earth) and Nut (Egyptian sky goddess). Apart from Osiris, the duo had three
other offspring. They were, Isis, Set (also written as Seth), and Nephthys. Osiris was
married to Isis, who is the Egyptian goddess of fertility, and motherhood and was
worshiped as the ideal mother by ancient Egyptians. Set was the husband of Nepthys.
Horus, the Hawk-god was born to Osiris and Isis. This family is also worshiped as the
Family of Holiness and prosperity in Egypt.

Osiris was one of the most important deities of ancient Egypt. The people of ancient
Egypt believed in the concept of life after death. Hence, Osiris was the presiding god
of all the ceremonies and rituals like mummification and burial. Osiris is also
considered to be the god of resurrection and eternal life. He is also the protector of the
dead, and is also considered as the judge of the deceased. Now, what made Osiris the
presiding deity of most significant events, can be found in the remaining paragraphs
of this article.
The Legend of Osiris: Birth

According to the Egyptian mythology, the Sun god Ra, was the first ruler of land (also
referred to as Skondia in Egyptian culture). He is also known to be the King of all
gods. His wisdom and predictions told him that the child of goddess Nut would be his
successor. Feeling insecure, Ra cursed Nut saying that she would not be able to give
birth to a child on any day of the year. A heartbroken Nut went to Thoth (the god of
wisdom who is considered to have thrice-great wisdom) for help. Thoth assured her
not to worry and in turn challenged Khensu, the moon god, and challenged him for a
game of checkers. Khensu accepted the challenge and the two began to gamble. Thoth
kept on winning the games and the stakes started climbing higher and higher. In the
game, Khensu lost a lot of his 'light' to Thoth. Thoth, made up five days between the
beginning and end of the year, from the light that he had won. Nut gave birth to Osiris
in the first of the five days. Well, this is one of the legends regarding the birth of
Osiris. There is yet another equally intense story regarding the same.

According to Egyptian legends, Ra was the most supreme and was at the helm of
power. However, his wife, Nut had feelings of love not for him, but instead she
longed to be with Geb. When Ra found out about this illicit courtship, his rage knew
no bounds, and he cursed his wife, according to which she wouldn't be able to
conceive on any days of the year. What is important here to know that, at that time,
there were only 360 days instead of 365. A heart-broken Nut went to Thoth to procure
help. Thoth in turn went the moon goddess, Silence, defeated her in a game of wager
and received one-seventh of moon's light, which he converted into five more days of
the year. This was a witty game plan, whereby Ra's command was respected, and a
solution to Nut's problem was also procured.

Note : What should be borne in mind is that these accounts of Osiris' birth have no
testimony. These are legendary folklore that have been passed through generations.
So, the accountability of the information remains doubtful.

Contribution of Osiris to Ancient Egypt

Contribution of Osiris to Ancient Egypt According to the tales of ancient Egypt, Ra


became very old and left Earth to rule the heavens. According to Ra's prediction,
Osiris indeed succeeded him. During the initial stages of Osiris' rule, the people
displayed savage behavior. They constantly engaged in fights, showed signs of
cannibalism, which greatly disturbed Osiris. He decided to make his people civilized.
He started by teaching his people the activity of farming. He taught his people to
plant, tend and harvest wheat and barley crops. He taught his people to grind the
wheat grain into flour and make bread. It is said that Osiris, also developed the
technique of wine making. He taught them the basic laws of civilization, and also
introduced the arts of poetry and music.

The Demise of Osiris

The popularity of Osiris, made his brother Set jealous. Set was coincidentally the lord
of evil. After Osiris had managed to civilize his people, he left on a journey to spread
wisdom all over the world. In his absence, he nominated his wife, Isis as the ruler of
Egypt over Set, which infuriated Set in the superlative. He then began to lay the seeds
of conspiracy against the honest and humble Osiris. Set took to confidence 72 other
powerful people who also wanted the end of Osiris. When Osiris came back to his
kingdom, he was invited to a grand banquet organized by Set. In the meanwhile, Set
had crafted a chest which was of the size of Osiris. At the banquet, Set proposed that
whosoever could fit into the wooden chest would be the rightful owner of the same.
This was the ultimate trick. An innocent Osiris could not see the trap, and thus in
utmost trust, he stepped into the chest. Just then, all the conspirators including Set
sealed the chest with nails and molten lead. The chest was plunged into the river Nile,
and Osiris was drowned and dead, leaving Set the only heir to the throne.

The water of the Nile carried the chest into the waves of the Green Sea, and was later
brought to the shore, in the far off land of Byblos. Just there grew miraculously a
tamarisk tree, perhaps just to protect the mighty box, and Osiris within it. On the other
side, Isis grew sad and restless. She wanted to bring her dead husband to life again.
She very well knew that, the spirits of the dead didn't receive peace and salvation until
the last rites were observed. Thus began her ceaseless venture to find the body of
Osiris.

Note : There are contradictory accounts regarding the birth of Horus. Many believe
that Horus wasn't born at the time of Osiris' death, whereas the others believe that he
was then an infant. Considering that he was an infant, we shall proceed further.

On her voyage she was protected by a group of 7 scorpions. She entrusted goddess
Buto, the serpent goddess, of the Delta of the Nile with the responsibility to take care
of Horus. She began the journey of finding the corpse of her deceased husband. She
came to Babylos. There she, with the royal aid could locate the chest and found her
dead husband's remains. She then made her way back into Egypt. Upon reaching there
she left the body in a secret locale, and departed to bring her son back. However, Set
was shreud and wicked enough to find out the body, and he cut the body into 14
pieces, which he spread all across the river Nile. Denying to let go off her husband's
remains, Isis pledged to find the pieces. She was now aided by her sister and wife of
Set, Nepthys. They found out all the pieces, except for one, which was swallowed by
a fish. Isis built a tomb on each spot where the pieces where found. There are other
tales that narrate that Isis had collected all the pieces together, mummified the body
and buried it. Whatever may be the authenticity of either of the tales, the fact remains
that Osiris continues to be worshiped as the god of the dead.

Note : There is also another belief that when the pieces of dead Osiris was recovered
by Isis, she spelled life into the dead body and brought back Osiris to life, and both
united together to impregnate Isis with Horus. Later Osiris' spirit left the body and
became the god of the dead.

Horus- the son of Osiris

Indeed, the spirit of Osiris is said to have returned; however, not to his body, but as
his son. The spirit of Osiris made his son Horus, a proficient leader and warrior by
teaching him the arts of statesmanship and military leadership. Horus eventually
avenged his father's death and killed Set. According to some stories, he banished Set
into the Great Western desert.

The Egyptians believed that the spirit of Osiris would come back to its body and
would rise once again from its grave (located on the island of Philae) and with him, he
would bring to life all those who had worshiped him and had been his followers. This
is why, the Egyptians took up the rituals of mummification

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