Here are some facts about Osiris, the Ancient Egyptian God.
- Osiris is associated with the dead. He is often called the god of the afterlife and the ruler of the underworld.
- He was the son of the Ged (the Earth God) and Nut (the Sky Goddess). His sister and wife was the goddess Isis.
- In many of the Ancient Egyptian myths, Isis and Osiris are the parents of Horus.
- According to one of the myths, Set killed Osiris by tricking him into getting into a box. Set sealed the box and threw it into the River Nile. Isis, the wife of Osiris, found Osiris’ body and used her magic to bring it back to life. Isis became pregnant with Horus and Osiris died once more. Isis buried Osiris in the desert. Set discovered the body of Osiris and was so angry that he tore the body into several pieces, scattering them throughout Egypt. Isis painstakingly collected all of the body parts and reassembled them for burial. The gods were impressed by the actions of Isis and brought Osiris back to rule the underworld as the Lord of the Dead.
- Osiris is usually depicted with as a man with green skin (to represent rebirth and regrowth). His legs are wrapped like an Egyptian mummy and he has a long beard (as worn by the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs). He often wears a crown decorated with ostrich feathers and he holds a crook in one hand and a flail in the other.
What next? Find out about some of the other Ancient Egyptian gods, or visit our Ancient Egyptian resources page.
