Osiris - Ancient Egyptian God of the Dead
Osiris was depicted as a mummified man wrapped in white bandages with green skin, holding a crook and flail, which were symbols of royal authority
Photo by Christa Galloway
Osiris was the son of the earth and sky.
He was the first-born child of Geb, the god of the earth, and Nut, goddess of the sky.
Osiris was the first mummy.
According to Egyptian myth, Osiris was murdered by his jealous brother Set, but his wife Isis used magic to bring him back to life as the first mummy.
Osiris was the king of the underworld.
Osiris was once the king of Egypt, but after he was killed and resurrected by Isis, he couldn’t stay in the world of the living. Instead, he became king of the Duat, the Ancient Egyptian underworld. He was the main judge of the dead and decided if their souls were worthy to spend their afterlife in the Field of Rushes.
Osiris taught Egyptians how to farm.
He gave the Egyptian people barley and taught them how to grow crops so they could grow their food. He also gave them laws and civilisation.
Egyptians believed pharaohs became Osiris after death.
When a pharaoh died, Egyptians believed he would become Osiris in the afterlife and continue to rule as king of the underworld.
