Osiris

God of:

Underworld
King of Dead
Inundation
Vegetation

Osiris became the most prominent god in the middle and new kingdoms among the common people of Egypt. In Osiris, the people saw the possibility that all Egyptians have the chance of an afterlife, not just the Pharaoh, which was commonly believed durning the Old Kingdom period.

The story of Osiris is very well know in Egyptian religion. Osiris was believed to be an early Egyptian king according to the myth. He brought to the Egyptians civilization and agriculture. His brother, Seth, desired the throne of Egypt and plotted to have Osiris killed.

Seth plotted with many in Osiris's court to remove Osiris from the throne. Seth hatched his plot with a special chest. He had the chest made to the exact measurements of Osiris. He then held a contest with the members of Osiris's court to see who would fit best in the chest. The winner could have the very beautiful chest. After some convincing by Seth and the other conspirators, Osiris tried the chest. Once inside, Seth nailed the lid and threw the chest into the Nile river where Osiris died. The chest went down the Nile and into the Mediterranean Sea, finding a resting place in Syria.

Isis, Osiris's wife, searched the entire land to find his body. Finally, she discovered it hidden under a tree in Syria on the way to visit the King of Phoenicians. She took it back to Egypt and hid the body. Unfortunately, Seth discovered the body by accident on a hunting trip and dismembered it into fourteen separate parts. Seth then spread Osiris's body all over Egypt.

Isis collected his body together and magically brought Osiris back to life. But Osiris could not stay; he was already part of the afterlife and could not leave the underworld.

Isis magically conceived a child by Osiris. Their child was Horus, who vowed to avenge his father's death and reclaim the thrown of Egypt. Horus fought a very long and bloody battle against Seth. Finally, the issue came before a tribunal of the gods. This tribunal ruled in favor of Osiris and Horus. Osiris was resurrected to become the King of the Underworld. This story became a symbol of family values and good over evil.