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The Beauty and Power of Isis
Your Museum Store
The ancient Egyptian goddess Isis was an influential figure in Egyptian mythology whose popularity extended well beyond Egypt. The discovery of temples and obelisks erected in honor of Isis were not uncommon as far away as Rome and inscriptions honoring Isis have been discovered across Europe. Isis followers were devoted and diverse. Isis was the patron of magic and nature. She symbolized both the perfect mother and the ideal wife. Like most gods in cultures that practice polytheism, Isis was responsible for many aspects of Egyptian life. Friend to sinners and slaves. Savior of the penniless and patron of the arts. She was a symbol of fertility and goddess of motherhood.
The goddess Isis was born to Geb and Nut, the god of Earth and goddess of the overarching sky. Egyptian mythology tells how she married her brother Osiris, whom she loved deeply and bore a son, Horus. One of Egypt's most prominent folklore tales tells the story of how Osiris was betrayed by his enemy Seth, Egyptian god of the Wind Seth tricked Osiris and drowned him in the Nile. Isis used magic to bring her husband back to life, but Seth was unyielding and struck down Osiris again. To prevent Isis from using her magic again, he hacked the body to pieces and cast it across the desert.
Consumed with grief, Isis set out in search of the remains of her husband in hopes she might restore him. After years of searching, she was successful and once again used her magic to bring her husband back from the dead.
Versions of the story differ, but must suggest that Osiris was resurrected but incomplete because Isis was unable to find his genitalia. In one tale, she fashioned a substitute from clay to ensure that she could become impregnated and give birth to her son Horus. Horus becomes a powerful god in his own right and exacts revenge on Seth, destroying him in retribution for his father's death.
Isis was different than most other Egyptian gods and goddesses in that she dwelled amongst her worshippers. Isis instructed women in the art of bread-making, weaving, sewing and other skills within the household. Isis was worshipped as the goddess of wisdom and medicine. She was also considered the protector of the dead in the afterlife. Myth suggests that it was Isis' tears at the loss of her husband that caused the annual flooding of the Nile.
Isis assumed many of the responsibilities also attributed to the sky goddess Hathor and began to be depicted wearing Hathor's crown (a solar disk centered between two cow horns). Isis is frequently depicted in Egyptian art carrying an Ankh symbol and a simple staff. She is also portrayed with wings outstretched, symbolic of her protector role. Thought to be the symbolic mother of the king, her name also meant "throne.". There are many artifacts in museums throughout Egypt that portray Isis nursing her son Horus as a symbol of role as the guardian of children.
Find a museum gift to satisfy your inner archaeologist. From Egyptian statues and Greek statues to art from Aztec, Celtic, Roman, Hindu and Buddhist cultures, Your Museum Store sells unique, museum quality reproductions of art work from the finest museums around the world. Our selection includes statues, busts and wall reliefs from ancient cultures along with dinosaur skulls, fossils and collectibles from the Parastone Mouseion collection.
Rob Mabry is a former Army jouralist. He enjoys writing about ancient history and is the owner of Your Museum Store.
Article submitted Wednesday, February 03, 2010 & read 91 times.
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