6,889
edits
Difference between revisions of "Isis"
no edit summary
Occultwiki (talk | contribs) |
Occultwiki (talk | contribs) |
||
| (One intermediate revision by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
==Origins== | ==Origins== | ||
Whereas some Egyptian deities appeared in the late Predynastic Period (before c. 3100 BCE), neither Isis nor her husband Osiris were mentioned by name before the Fifth Dynasty (c. 2494–2345 BCE). An inscription that may refer to Isis dates to the reign of Nyuserre Ini during that period, and she appears prominently in the [[Pyramid Texts]], which began to be written down at the end of the dynasty and whose content may have developed much earlier. Several passages in the Pyramid Texts link Isis with the region of the Nile Delta near Behbeit el-Hagar and Sebennytos, and her cult may have originated there. | Whereas some Egyptian deities appeared in the late Predynastic Period (before c. 3100 BCE), neither Isis nor her husband Osiris were mentioned by name before the Fifth Dynasty (c. 2494–2345 BCE). An inscription that may refer to Isis dates to the reign of Nyuserre Ini during that period, and she appears prominently in the [[Pyramid Texts]], which began to be written down at the end of the dynasty and whose content may have developed much earlier. Several passages in the Pyramid Texts link Isis with the region of the Nile Delta near Behbeit el-Hagar and Sebennytos, and her [[cult]] may have originated there. | ||
Isis is part of the Ennead of Heliopolis, a family of nine deities descended from the creator god, Atum or [[Ra]]. She and her siblings—[[Osiris]], [[Set]], and [[Nephthys]]—are the last generation of the Ennead, born to [[Geb]], god of the earth, and [[Nut]], goddess of the sky. The creator god, the world's original ruler, passes down his authority through the male generations of the Ennead, so that Osiris becomes king. Isis, who is Osiris's wife as well as his sister, is his queen. | Isis is part of the Ennead of Heliopolis, a family of nine deities descended from the creator god, Atum or [[Ra]]. She and her siblings—[[Osiris]], [[Set]], and [[Nephthys]]—are the last generation of the Ennead, born to [[Geb]], god of the earth, and [[Nut]], goddess of the sky. The creator god, the world's original ruler, passes down his authority through the male generations of the Ennead, so that Osiris becomes king. Isis, who is Osiris's wife as well as his sister, is his queen. | ||
| Line 24: | Line 24: | ||
Isis was also known for her magical power, which enabled her to revive Osiris and to protect and heal Horus, and for her cunning. By virtue of her magical knowledge, she was said to be "more clever than a million gods." In several episodes in the New Kingdom story ''The Contendings of Horus and Set'', Isis uses these abilities to outmaneuver Set during his conflict with her son. On one occasion, she transforms into a young woman who tells Set she is involved in an inheritance dispute similar to Set's usurpation of Osiris's crown. When Set calls this situation unjust, Isis taunts him, saying he has judged himself to be in the wrong. In later texts, she uses her powers of transformation to fight and destroy Set and his followers. | Isis was also known for her magical power, which enabled her to revive Osiris and to protect and heal Horus, and for her cunning. By virtue of her magical knowledge, she was said to be "more clever than a million gods." In several episodes in the New Kingdom story ''The Contendings of Horus and Set'', Isis uses these abilities to outmaneuver Set during his conflict with her son. On one occasion, she transforms into a young woman who tells Set she is involved in an inheritance dispute similar to Set's usurpation of Osiris's crown. When Set calls this situation unjust, Isis taunts him, saying he has judged himself to be in the wrong. In later texts, she uses her powers of transformation to fight and destroy Set and his followers. | ||
Like other deities throughout Egyptian history, Isis had many forms in her individual cult centers, and each cult center emphasized different aspects of her character. Local Isis cults focused on the distinctive traits of their deity more than on her universality, whereas some Egyptian hymns to Isis treat other goddesses in cult centers from across Egypt and the Mediterranean as manifestations of her. | Like other deities throughout Egyptian history, Isis had many forms in her individual [[cult]] centers, and each cult center emphasized different aspects of her character. Local Isis cults focused on the distinctive traits of their deity more than on her universality, whereas some Egyptian hymns to Isis treat other goddesses in cult centers from across Egypt and the Mediterranean as manifestations of her. | ||
===Sky goddess=== | ===Sky goddess=== | ||
Many of the roles Isis acquired gave her an important position in the sky. Passages in the Pyramid Texts connect Isis closely with [[Sopdet]], the goddess representing the star [[Sirius]], whose relationship with her husband [[Sah]]—the constellation Orion—and their son Sopdu parallels Isis's relations with Osiris and Horus. Sirius's heliacal rising, just before the start of the Nile flood, gave Sopdet a close connection with the flood and the resulting growth of plants. Partly because of her relationship with Sopdet, Isis was also linked with the flood, which was sometimes equated with the tears she shed for [[Osiris]]. | Many of the roles Isis acquired gave her an important position in the sky. Passages in the Pyramid Texts connect Isis closely with [[Sopdet]], the goddess representing the star [[Sirius]], whose relationship with her husband [[Sah]]—the constellation Orion—and their son Sopdu parallels Isis's relations with Osiris and Horus. Sirius's heliacal rising, just before the start of the Nile flood, gave Sopdet a close connection with the flood and the resulting growth of plants. Partly because of her relationship with Sopdet, Isis was also linked with the flood, which was sometimes equated with the tears she shed for [[Osiris]]. | ||
By Ptolemaic times she was connected with rain, which Egyptian texts call a "Nile in the sky"; with the [[sun]] as the protector of [[Ra]]'s barque; and with the [[moon]], possibly because she was linked with the Greek lunar goddess Artemis by a shared connection with an Egyptian fertility goddess, Bastet. In hymns inscribed at Philae she is called the "Lady of Heaven" whose dominion over the sky parallels Osiris's rule over the Duat and [[Horus]]'s kingship on earth. | By Ptolemaic times she was connected with rain, which Egyptian texts call a "Nile in the sky"; with the [[sun]] as the protector of [[Ra]]'s barque; and with the [[moon]], possibly because she was linked with the Greek lunar goddess Artemis by a shared connection with an Egyptian fertility goddess, Bastet. In hymns inscribed at Philae she is called the "Lady of [[Heaven]]" whose dominion over the sky parallels Osiris's rule over the Duat and [[Horus]]'s kingship on [[earth]]. | ||
==Iconography== | ==Iconography== | ||