Osiris— Egyptian God"Lord of the Underworld"

The First Pharaoh

Osiris was once a living god-king who ruled Egypt in its golden age, teaching humanity the arts of civilization: agriculture, law, and worship of the gods. Under his benevolent reign, Egypt flourished. He was beloved by all—except his jealous brother Set, who coveted the throne.

Murder and Dismemberment

Set plotted Osiris's death with cunning. He built a beautiful chest exactly to Osiris's measurements and offered it as a prize at a feast. When Osiris lay inside, Set sealed the chest and threw it into the Nile. But Set's hatred was not satisfied—when Isis found and recovered the body, Set tore it into fourteen pieces and scattered them across Egypt.

The Search of Isis

Isis, devoted wife and powerful magician, searched all of Egypt for her husband's remains. With her sister Nephthys, she found thirteen pieces, but the fourteenth—his phallus—had been eaten by fish. Isis fashioned a replacement and, using her magic, reassembled and resurrected Osiris long enough to conceive their son Horus. But Osiris could no longer remain in the world of the living.

Lord of the Underworld

Osiris descended to rule the Duat, the Egyptian underworld, where he sits in judgment over all who die. Every soul must stand before him in the Hall of Two Truths, their heart weighed against the feather of Ma'at. Osiris, wrapped eternally in mummy bandages with green skin symbolizing rebirth, decides their eternal fate—paradise in the Field of Reeds or destruction by Ammit.

Osiris and the Pharaohs

Every Egyptian hoped to "become Osiris" after death—to be resurrected and live eternally as he did. Pharaohs were especially associated with Osiris; in death, they became one with him while their living successor embodied Horus. The Pyramid Texts contain elaborate spells to help the pharaoh's soul reach Osiris and achieve immortality.

God of Fertility

Despite being lord of the dead, Osiris was also a god of agricultural fertility. His death and resurrection mirrored the annual flooding of the Nile and the seasonal cycle of crops—dying at harvest and reborn with each planting. His green skin represented vegetation, and festivals celebrated his renewal each year. In Osiris, the Egyptians saw that death was not an end but a transformation.