
Courtesy of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin - Preussischer Kulturbesitz

The most popular of the gods in ancient Egyptian mythology was Osiris, god of the sun, agriculture, and health. His queen was Isis, who was also his wife and sister. She represented the moon, as Osiris did the sun, and was believed to have taught Egyptians the arts of agriculture and medicine. She was also credited with instituting marriage.

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Osiris had an evil brother, Seth, god of the desert. Seth induced Osiris to get into a large chest, which was then closed and thrown into the Nile River. Isis recovered her husband’s body, but Seth took it and cut it into pieces. Isis buried the pieces, and Osiris was thereafter regarded as god of the dead. His son, Horus, avenged the murder by conquering Seth.

On Earth, Osiris took the form of the sacred bull, Apis. From the combined names Osiris-Apis came Sarapis, another name for Osiris. Later Sarapis was thought of as a separate god. Osiris was often represented wrapped in mummy cloths and wearing a crown. Isis was frequently pictured with her infant son, Horus. She was also represented wearing cow’s horns, since the cow was considered sacred to her. From the 7th century bc her cult was the most popular in Egypt. In the seaport of Alexandria she was regarded as patron of seafarers, and from there her worship spread to Greece and Rome.