Osiris
The Egyptian God
Osiris
-
Name: Osiris -
Gender Male:
Osiris was a God -
Depiction / Description
/ Symbol: Osiris was depicted as a Pharaoh wearing a crown together
with the other emblems of power such as a crook, flail and beard. He
was also depicted with a green face reflecting the life he brought
to the Egyptians -
Jurisdiction: Osiris was
described as being God of Death, the Dead, the Underworld and Rebirth -
Mythical Family or
Relatives: Osiris was believed to be the eldest son of the Earth God, Geb, and the Sky Goddess, Nut.
He was the brother of Isis, Seth
and Nephthys. He was also the husband of Isis and father of the God
Horus. He was also believed to be the father of the God Anubis by
his sister Nephthys
Information &
History about
the Egyptian God Osiris
The Egyptian God, Osiris, was seen as the God of Death, the Dead & the Underworld
and Rebirth and therefore closely associated with the prayers of
the bereaved. One of his roles was as judge of the dead in the
afterlife. He
was strongly associated with the growth and the decay of vegetation - in
the winter Osiris was believed to disappear with the crops into the
Underworld. Osiris was one of the Ennead, the collective name given to
the nine original deities (Gods and Goddesses) of the cosmogony of Heliopolis (the birthplace of the Gods) in the creation myths and legends.
He was the husband of
Isis and father of the God Horus. He was also believed to be the father
of the God Anubis by his sister Nephthys. Incest was seen as an acceptable element in the lives of the
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, retaining the sacred bloodline.
Description &
Depiction of the Egyptian God Osiris - Part Human & Part Animal
Many of the Egyptian Gods or Goddesses were often depicted as
being part human and part animal. In the description of the Egyptian
God Osiris he was an exception and most frequently depicted wearing a
crown together with the other emblems of power such as a crook, flail
and beard.
The Egyptian the
God Osiris - Creation and Relatives
The early Egyptian priests evolved a
creation myth, or Cosmogony, to explain how some of the Gods and
Goddesses came into being. The early Egyptian priests then evolved a
Family tree, the relatives of the main Egyptian Gods, like Osiris, to
explain how some of the Gods and Goddesses were related. According to
legend Osiris was murdered by his younger, jealous brother Seth (or Set)
who tore apart the corpse and flung the pieces all over Egypt. But the
dismembered body of Osiris was reassembled by his wife Isis who brought
him back to life for just one day, when
their son Horus, was conceived. His body was embalmed by Anubis who
therefore made Osiris the first mummy.
Temple of Osiris
The Temples dedicated to Osiris, the God of Death, the Dead & the Underworld, were believed to be
a
dwelling place of this famous Egyptian God. Only the Pharaoh and the
Priests of Osiris were allowed inside the temple and the priests would
undergo ritual purification in a deep stone pool before they entered the
Inner Sanctum of the Temple. This not only cleansed them but also gave
them contact with the primeval moisture of life. Ordinary Egyptians were
only allowed to come to the gates, or forecourt, of the temple of Osiris
to pay homage and offer gifts to the God / Goddess. The Priests of Osiris
would collect the gifts and say prayers on behalf of the person in the
confines of the temple. The priests of Osiris, the God of Death, the Dead, the Underworld
and Rebirth, would
conduct ceremonies, sacrifices and chant magical incantations, sometimes
referred to as spells. The temple of Osiris would consist of heavy gates
which accessed a massive hall with great stone columns, and then a
series of many other rooms through which processions of priests would
pass. These rooms, or chambers, were lit by candles and incense would be
burnt to purify the air of the Temple. The chambers gradually decreased
in size, the lighting in the temple was deliberately and significantly
reduced to create an atmosphere of deepening mystery until the priests
reached the chapel and the shrine which contained the Naos. The Naos was
the stone tabernacle inside the shrine which housed the great Statue of
Osiris, the God of Death, the Dead, the Underworld and Rebirth.
The Statue of Osiris
The large statue of the God Osiris, the God of Death, the Dead & the
Underworld was situated in the inner sanctum of the Egyptian temple. The
statue of Osiris would have been depicted with wearing a crown together
with the other emblems of power such as a crook, flail and beard. This
sacred statue, in the dwelling place of the God, was the embodiment of
Osiris. Food and drink would be offered to the God. The High Priest of
Osiris, would conduct ceremonies and offer prayers and incantations but
there was another important priest, called the Medjty, who was
responsible for the toiletries. The statue of Osiris would have been
washed and oiled. The statue was then dressed in fine linen and eye
make-up, powder and rouge was applied and sacred oil rubbed on the
forehead of the statue. The statue of Osiris, wearing a crown together
with the other emblems of power such as a crook, flail and beard,
was only seen by ordinary Egyptians at important festivals when the
effigy was paraded in magnificent processions.
The Egyptian God
Osiris
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