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Table of Contents
Osiris is one of the most important deities of ancient Egypt. He was both a god of fertility and the ancient proof of the dead and resurrected king.
See the fact file below for more information on Osiris, or you can download our 22-page Osiris worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
GENERAL INFORMATION
- The story of Osiris is widely regarded as the most detailed and influential in Egyptian mythology. It depicts both the assassination of the Egyptian god Osiris and the aftermath of his death.
- The story starts where Set, Osiris’ brother, had murdered him so that Seth(Set) could ascend to the throne.
- It is said that Osiris was slain or drowned by his brother, Seth, who tore his corpse into 14 pieces and threw them over Egypt.
- In order for Osiris to be resurrected, Isis and her sister Nephthys eventually found his body parts and buried all of the pieces, except the phallus.
- Isis, Osiris’ wife, restores her husband’s body, which allows him to conceive Horus.
- The rest of the story revolves around Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris, who begins as a vulnerable child protected by his mother before becoming Seth’s rival for the throne.
- Their often violent conflict culminates in Horus’ great victory, which restores maat, the cosmic and social order to Egypt following Seth’s end of unjust reign as well as the completion of the process of Osiris’ resurrection who then lived and ruled in the underworld.
BIRTH OF OSIRIS
- The name Osiris is derived from Latin, while the traditional Egyptian hieroglyphic rendering of the name is Wsjr.
- According to some Egyptologists, the deity is known as Aser, Ausar, Asari, Ausir, Ausare, Usire, Usir, Wser, or Wesir.
- Furthermore, the name Osiris is translated as “the Almighty” or “The Powerful” in English.
- Osiris, the son of the Egyptian gods Geb and Nut, was primarily a nature god who represented the cycle of vegetation.
- However, by around 2400 BCE, he eventually became the god of the dead. According to Egyptian Mythology, he was crowned “Universal Lord” at birth and grew into a tall and handsome deity.
- When his father died, Osiris ascended to the throne of Egypt and made his sister, Isis, his queen.
- Osiris was not only regarded as the ruler of the dead but also the source of all life.
- From around 2000 BCE, it was thought that after death, not only the deceased kings, but all men, became inextricably linked with Osiris.
- However, the identification with Osiris did not imply resurrection, because even Osiris did not rise from the dead.
- Instead, it represented the restoration of life in the next world as well as through one’s descendants on Earth.
- Osiris’ cult spread throughout Egypt in this universalized form, frequently combining with the cults of local fertility and underworld deities.
ROLE OF OSIRIS
- Osiris is the Egyptian underworld ruler, a god who protects the dead, and is associated with the constellation Orion. When a pharaoh is on the throne of Egypt, he or she is regarded as a form of Horus.
- However, when the ruler dies, she or he is regarded as a form of Osiris (“Osiride”).
- According to Egyptian mythology, during the time of Osiris, the Egyptians were barbaric, and cannibalism was widely common among them.
- However, it came to an end when Osiris taught humanity how to make wine, bread, cultivate land, and even make a living. He also aided in the construction of the first temples and god statues.
- After teaching civilization upon Egypt, Osiris decided to embark on a journey to introduce wheat, barley, and agriculture to the rest of the world. He assigned his wife, Isis, to rule in his absence before leaving.
- Osiris initially traveled south toward Ethiopia with an army of courtiers, satyrs, and agricultural experts. He eventually traveled all the way to India to spread his benevolent rule.
- However, Osiris was not always kind. He annihilated those who opposed his enlightenment program, including a barbarian king in Thrace.
- He is also given credit for the fertile flooding of the Nile, the sprouting of vegetation, as well as the granting of all life in the afterlife.
- His other titles and attributes include βlord of silenceβ, βlord of love”, and βhe who is permanently benign and youngβ.
RELATION TO OTHER EGYPTIAN GODS
- Osiris was born into a family where he was one of the five children of Geb, the earth god, and Nut, the sky goddess.
- Through this family tree, he was also a great-grandson of one of the most popular Egyptian gods, Ra.
- Osiris had four younger siblings who played a significant role in his story, which includes his brother Seth, who murdered him, and two sisters known as Isis, whom he married, and Nephthys, whom his brother Seth married.
- Osiris had a number of notable children. Following his resurrection, he famously fathered Horus the Younger with his sister/wife Isis, and unwittingly fathered Anubis with Nephthys.
- Babi, a mythical man-eating baboon, and Sopdet, the living embodiment of the star Sirius, are among his other children as well.
SYMBOLISM AND POPULAR CULTURE
- Osiris, the Egyptian Mythology god, is frequently depicted as a mummy with his arms free and holding a crook and a flail, and as a green-skinned deity with a pharaoh’s beard.
- He wears the “Atef,” a distinctive crown with ram’s horns at the base and a tall cone – shaped centerpiece with a plume on each side.
- Furthermore, his symbol was the mythological Bennu bird which was said to have the ability to revive itself from ashes.
- In ancient paintings, Osiris is frequently illustrated with shades of green or black.
- Green is said to be the color associated with rebirth by the ancient Egyptians while black was the color of fertility: it was the color of the rich, fertile soil that stretched across the plains each year when the Nile overflowed, and it played a significant role in Egypt’s prosperity.
- In a few rare cases, Osiris was also depicted wearing a crown with a rendering of the moon.
- As a result, some researchers believe he was associated with the moon or the night.
- The story of Osiris had a significant impact on the Egyptian practice of mummification.
- The Egyptian method of wrapping mummies like what Isis did to Osirisβ body parts is meant to signify that there would be hope that the mummy would be resurrected in the underworld like Osiris.
- Moreover, Osiris is frequently depicted in Egyptian art as completely or partially wrapped mummy-style.
- Every year, in honor of Osiris, the Egyptians held celebrations in which they acted out Osiris’ death and rebirth.
- These celebrations included the creation of “Osiris Gardens,” which were wooden or clay boxes in the shape of Osiris that were filled with Nile mud and planted with seeds.
- These boxes were then wrapped in mummy-like cloth and placed in tombs.
Osiris (Egyptian God) Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Osiris across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Osiris, who was the ruler of the underworld in ancient Egyptian mythology.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Osiris (Egyptian God) Facts
- The Country of Egypt
- Understanding Osiris
- Family Tree
- Symbols
- Comic Illustration
- Make it Known!
- The OSIRIS-REx Mission
- Osiris in the Sky
- Ancient Art Style
- Role of the Gods
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Osiris the god known for?
Not only was Osiris the ruler of the dead, but he was also the power that granted all life from the underworld. It wasn’t until 2000 BCE that people began to believe that every man, not just kings who had died, became associated with Osiris at death.
Why was Osiris killed?
Osiris was a very wise and powerful king, and the Egyptian people loved and respected him. Unfortunately, his jealous brother Seth began to plan how to kill Osiris so that he could take over his throne.
What is in Osiris’s hands?
Osiris holds symbols that are often associated with state leaders in Egypt. He has a white crown with ostrich feathers on his head. Osiris is also the ruler of the underworld and the god of agriculture and fertility.
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Link will appear as Osiris Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 3, 2022
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.