Egyptian+Resurrected+Gods

= Submitted by Renee Wise = = Osiris and Set =


 * [|Osiris] ** was the king of Egypt who [[image:http://www.ashejournal.com/nanda/starset/horus_set_lg.jpg width="264" height="288" align="right" caption="http://www.ashejournal.com/nanda/starset/horus_set_lg.jpg"]] ruled with his wife Isis. He was a well-liked pharaoh whom his brother [|Set] was jealous of. At a banquet, his brother said he would give any of the guests a chest if they could fit inside. [|Osiris] was the only person who managed to do this.  [|Set] shut the lid to the chest,  killing him (3).

At this point, Osiris’s evil brother took the throne and threw the chest with great king’s lifeless body into the Nile River. It landed in Babylon where the power from king’s body grew a huge tamarisk tree (3). Osiris’s faithful wife found his body, but [|Set] got a hold of it broke it into fourteen pieces. All the body parts were found but one and ** [|Osiris] ** was put back together (2). After that, he became the ruler of the dead (5).

Isis gave birth to a son named [|Horus] who was magically conceived after his father died (6). When the boy was an adult, he fought [|Set] (7). He lost an eye in the fight and was fitted with a new one by the god Thoth (10). [|Horus] won over his uncle and banished him to live in the desert for eternity (1). Set's nephew did not choose to kill him because it would have made him a kin slayer (5).

** The Story’s Significance ** [|Osiris] is a god associated with vegetation, floods, and the Nile River. This is a symbol of his resurrection. Like he died and came back to life, the regrowth of vegetation and the flooding of the Nile are signs of life returning (9).

The mummification process is also associated with  [|Osiris]. When a person died, his name was prefaced with the Osiris’s. Mummification took roughly seventy days. The stomach, brain, and other organs were removed. This symbolized the trauma [|Osiris] went through in the story, specifically when his body was torn apart and scattered. Bandages and other materials were wrapped around the dead. They were meant to show the tears the gods shed when they found out that the god had died. Female mourners were also present when a body was mummified to show the sorrow of Isis and her sister, Nephthys, because death of the great pharaoh (9).

[|Osiris] is the ruler of the dead in the story. This is significant because the Egyptians believed the deceased traveled to the underworld where he decided their fate. If they passed the trial and were deemed sin-free, they were allowed to roam with the gods for eternity. This belief is highly symbolic of Osiris’s resurrection. When he died, the god was granted freedom and life again in the land of dead. Like [|Osiris] was granted this privilege for being an innocent and good king, the deceased were offered the same luxury if they lived up to moral expectations (9).

The events of the story concerning [|Horus] also had their place in the Egyptian world. During the battle for the throne with [|Set], Horus lost his right eye. Then it was reconstructed by the god Thoth. This eye, also known as “wadjut“, is associated of re-establishment of order after a time of chaos. It is thought to have magic healing and protective powers, perhaps due to how it was healed and restored. In one version of the myth, [|Horus] gave his father his eye to help him in the underworld. [|Osiris] ate and it brought him back to life. In this way, the eye became a symbol with resurrection (10).

[|Set] considered a god of the desert which is the place he was banished by [|Horus] (1). He also has no children. This can be attributed to that he was castrated during the battle with his nephew (13).

** The Story and Egyptian Society ** In ancient Egypt, there was a belief that the decreased are brought to the underworld to be judged for their moral conduct when they had been living. Those who were sin-free were allowed eternal happiness. But people who were deemed guilty were fed to Amemait the devourer, a hybrid monster (9). In the story, [|Osiris] is considered a fair king who is good to his people (3). He is resurrected and becomes ruler of the dead after his brother murders him. There, he gained the position as the leading judge of the deceased (9). The fact that [|Osiris] became a judge of the dead after his resurrection and that he was considered a sin-free god shows that Egyptians valued a proper moral behavior. They thought people who obeyed ancient law should be rewarded, particularly in the afterlife.

In Egyptian society, pharaohs were considered gods. But both the divine and mortal kings were capable of dying (11). The story of [|Osiris and Set] is a concrete example of this. When [|Set] shut the chest on god [|Osiris], he died, like a regular human would have. The story backs up the concept that Egyptians thought the gods were not all-powerful or invisible.

Isis, Osiris’s wife is also his sister (9). The couple had a son even though they were siblings (2). Isis and her husband were considered some of the greatest Egyptians gods and not looked down upon for what they did. This shows that incest was not a taboo Egyptian society like it is in most places now. For related individuals to have children together was not considered a disgrace or violation of ancient law. To the contrary, it was considered a normal occurrence in Egypt (12).

However, not all behavior was acceptable. [|Set] murdered [|Osiris] and was banished for it. To kill someone, especially kin, was considered a sin in ancient Egypt (11). On the other hand, [|Horus] showed that he was pure and was willing to obey moral codes when he did not kill [|Set] in the fight for the throne. This was likely one of the reasons he became one of the respected gods in Egypt. This shows that these ancient people expected their citizens not to kill others aside from in war and for other reasons deemed necessary. To the Egyptians, the practice of hurting a family member, even in battle, was considered shameful.

** Historical Reference ** The story of [|Horus] and Set’s battle for the throne has historical significance. In ancient times, [|Horus] was the chief god of Upper Egypt and [|Set], of Lower Egypt. After a war in which Upper Egypt conquered Lower Egypt, the story of [|Horus] and [|Set] emerged. Like the two sides of the country were battling each other, their most important gods were also depicted as fighting one another for power. Upper Egypt was the victor in the war. Likewise, Upper Egypt's god won the throne over [|Set] (14).


 * See Also**

[|The Story of Osiris] [|Set and Osiris] [|Egyptian Myths - The Legend of Osiris]


 * Notes and References**

1. (2008). []. Ancient Egypt: Osiris. Retrieved 2010-01-05. 2. April McDevitt (2008). []. Ancient Egyptian Mythology. Retrieved 2010-01-09. 3. Joan L. James (2005). []. Egyptian Legends. Retrieved 2010-01-04. 4. Joan L. James (2005). []. Egyptian Legends. Retrieved 2010-01-06. 5. David C. Scott of InterCity Oz, Inc. (2004). []. Tour Egypt: Gods of Egypt. Retrieved 2010-01-08. 6. David C. Scott of InterCity Oz, Inc. (2004). [] .Tour Egypt: Gods of Egypt. Retrieved 2010-01-08. 7. Menic, University of Texas. []. Menic, University of Texas. Retrieved 2010-01-04. 8. April McDevitt (2008). [] .Ancient Egypt: Osiris. Retrieved 2010-01-02. 9. Design, Layout and Graphic Art by Jimmy Dunn, InterCity Oz, Inc. Employee (1996). []. Tour Egypt. Retrieved 2010-01-02. 10. Jenny Hill (2007). []. Ancient Egypt Online. Retrieved 2010-01-02. 11. John Warren (2003). []. Tour Egypt. Retrieved 2010-01-09. 12. Caroline Seawright (2003). []. Tour Egypt. Retrieved 2010-01-10. 13. Jenny Hill (2007). []. Ancient Egypt Online. Retrieved 2010-01-12. 14. Amberwood. []. Amberwood. Retrieved 2010-01-13.

Pictures 1. Set, Digital Image. []. Crystal Links. Retrieved 2010-01-03. 2. Miniature Seated Osiris Egyptian Statue. []. Adybos Enterprises. Retrieved 2010-01-03. 3. Horus: Personification of the Sun. []. Word Press. Retrieved 2010-01-03. 4. The Aeon of Horus & Set, Sven Davisson / Prem Arun (2003). []. Ashe Journal. Retrieved 2010-01-10. 5. Egyptian Wrapped Mummy. []. Solar Navigator. Retrieved 2010-01-10. 6. Ancient Egyptian Map, Mark T. Rigby (2006). [|http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~ancient/map1.gif]. M. Rigby. Retrieved 2010-01-12. 7. (2007) []. Quinta-Feira. Retrieved 2010-01-12.