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The Egyptian Gods

their main centers of worship
and some festival days

Please note - Festival days are not historically
correct but an estimation compiled from several sources.

_On this page: [10]Onuris, [11]Osiris_
_Onuris/Anhur
_

'He Who Brings the Distant One'. Ancient god of war and hunting whose
origin is This in Upper Egypt, near [12]Abydos. He was depicted in
bearded, human form and carrying four feathers on his head, a spear or
sometimes a lance lifted high in one or both hands. He resides in the
desert at the edge of the world from whence, according to myth, he
brings back the eye of the sun, in this case his consort by name of
Mekhit. This parallels the myth wherein [13]Shu brought back his
consort [14]Tefnut from Nubia. Another female Name of Netjer who also
bore the name Eye of Re was [15]Sekhmet and sometimes also [16]Aset.

Anhur is somewhat of a complicated deity, the plumes associate him
with both [17]Montu and Sopedu and even [18]Heru (Horus), whose claim
to the throne of Egypt he supports in myth. He is further associated
or even equalled to [19]Shu, partly due to the tall feathers on top of
his head, just like Shu is depicted. In this connection, Anhur is
called 'son of Re', which is strengthened by the liasion with Mekhet
as the 'Eye of Re'.

In the Late Period there was a cult center for Anhur/Onuris in Lower
Egypt at Sebennytos ( modern Sammaud), where a temple was constructed
for Anhur-Shu by Nectanebo II. (360-343 B.C.)

[20]Top of Page

Osiris/Wesir

The name Osiris is the Greek word for the hieroglyph 'Wesir' or Wsr',
which is thought to mean 'He who is strong', but no definite
conclusion has been reached. It is also thought to mean 'the place of
the eye'. Other varieties of the spelling and pronouncing of his name
are Ausar or Usir. Also sometimes Wennefer (Gr: Onnophris) which means
"the eternally good being" or "the perfect one". Wesir/Osiris has been
called "Lord of the Duat (Afterworld)", "Judge of the Blessed Dead",
"Father of the Kings" and many other epithets. There exists much
discussion about the origin of his name, and itsī meaning, though the
most likely explanation seems to be that his name is related to the
word 'woser' which would mean 'Mighty One'.

_Origin_

There have been various theories as to the origin of Wesir/Osiris, one
places him as being a foreign human king during the Predynastic times,
entering Egypt from the North and settling finally in Djedu (Busiris)
in Lower Egypt, where his cult center grew. It was probably here that
his association with an earlier deity [21]Andjety stemmed from.
Another theory is that he developed from the primitive fertility god,
Nepri, in Lower Egypt to become one of the greatest and most important
of all the Egyptian deities, whose myth still lived on long after the
fall of Egypt. As such he was associated with the inundation of the
Nile and symbolizing the fertile land of Kemet. From this his
association with resurrection, regrowth and new life in the Underworld
developed. In the Late Period Plutarch described him as a human king
who brought knowledge and agriculture to Egypt, though this legend
must be taken with a grain of salt.

His authority as a king and a divine judge of the underworld probably
came from his role as a source of fertility and his ability to
regenerate life. Just as he had triumphed over death in the vegetation
world, so was he thought to triumph in a wider sense over the deceased
in the kingdom of the dead. His experience of suffering and his
ability to conquer death made him a ruler not over the living but over
the dead, thus promising them eternal life. As a vegetation god he was
also regarded a corn-deity, with association to an early corn-god
Neper (Nepri) and connects to other Near Eastern deities like Adonis,
Dionysos, Tammus, but a common origin has not been proven.

Sometimes he is called the 'Lord of Djedu' (Gr: Busiris). It was also
in Djedu that Wesir acquired his symbol, the 'djed-pillar' which came
to symbolize strength and resurrection, and the royal insignia the
crook and the flail.

_Depictions_

The earliest depiction sofar of Wesir/Osiris shows his head and upper
torso on a block from the 5th Dynasty (King Izesi). Above it is the
symbolic name of Wesir/Osiris in hieroglyphs; an eye and a throne. He
is often depicted in human form, in white mummy wrappings and with his
skin white or black, alluding to the realm of the dead, or green as a
symbol of resurrection. Out of the mummy wrappings his arms protrude
and he is seen carrying the crook and the flail as a sing of kingship.
He wears the 'Atef' crown; the tall, conical crown of Upper Egypt,
flanked by a plume at each side, and ramīs horns as its base.

_Titles and epithets_

Wesir/Osiris is called by many epithets and titles, through them it is
possible to glean information of the nature of him and how come he was
capable of embracing several deities.

The most usual one is probably _Foremost of the Westerners_ as already
mentioned, the ancient Egyptian meaning of the deity Khenti-Amentiu.
This shows Osiris as a funerary god at Abedjou.

Another title pointing at Osirisīs link to funerary beliefs and
mummification is _He Who Is In the Godīs Tent_. By 'tent' is meant the
booth or pavilion where the mummification took place. It is also
believed that Osiris assumed the role of [22]Yinepu as protector of
this process.

Then there are epithets which describes Osiris as being resident at
different locations. Of these the one called:

_He Who Dwells in Sah (Orion) with a Season in the Sky and a Season on
Earth_ stands out as it places Osiris as belonging in the sky as an
astral deity and contrasts with his usual realm in the Underworld.

_He Who Dwells in Iunu_ (Gr: Heliopolis) places him at the location
where the Ennead originated, and _He Who Dwells in Andjet_ refers to
the Lower Egypt cult center at Djedu (Gr: Busiris), where [23]Andjety
was the original local deity

_Osiris in Myth_

In myth he is the son of [24]Geb, the earth god, brother and the
husband of [25]Aset, (Gr: Isis) and brother to [26]Nebt-Het (Gr:
Nephtys) and[27]Seth. He was slain by his brother at the shore of
'Nedyet', resurrected by his sister-spouse who also gave him his son
[28]Heru (Gr: Horus) whom he in the end took revenge upon his brother
Seth. [29]go here for the myth.

There exits no written account of his myth, so it is surmised it was
handed down by oral tradition. The earliest and most complete written
version is by Plutharch and thus it reflects Greek style and
perception of the world, and is of a much later period in history.

However, this myth can be traced in the Pyramid Texts (Old Kingdom)
and New Kingdom or Graeco-Roman inscriptions and reliefs on some
temple walls refers to rites held at annual festivals held to Osiris.

Through this myth Osiris became the ruler of the Underworld, king of
the deceased. He was seen as the night form of the sun, even the moon
sometimes.

_Osiris in the Pyramid Age_

During this time Wesir/Osiris exists as that deity into which the
deceased King transforms. Great importance is attached to this
concept, and during the whole of the Old Kingdom. The King was the
only person whose existence was seen as continuous, unbroken by death
and only transformed into Osiris. Inscriptions in the pyramids from
the 5th Dynasty onwards describes Osiris as the legendary first ruler
of Predynastic Egypt. These inscriptions are the earliest hints of the
myth of Osiris as a Predynastic ruler of Egypt, and this myth was to
last through the almost 4000 year old history of ancient Egypt.

_Osiris and the Sun-God_

Opposed to Osiris as ruler of the Duat, there is his connection with
the concept of the sun-king. It is believed that this reflects the
ancient Egyptian fear of death. They dreaded the gloom of the
Underworld and therefore it lay close to hand to in Osiris see the
counterpart of the sun-god - the opposite pole so to speak. This would
ensure that the Underworld would always have at least some shade of
the light of day. It was said that Re an Osiris embraced one another
as 'twin souls' and Re is even told to superwise the funeral of
Osiris. This might also be the reason Osiris was often seen as the
moon while Re symbolized the sun.

_Osiris at Abedjou_

During the Old Kingdom Wesir/Osiris seems to have absorbed the ancient
canine deity at [30]Abedjou (Abydos), [31]Khenti-Amentiu and replaced
him as the main deity there. The name Khenti-Amentiu means 'Foremost
of the Westerners' was also included in the long line of epithets for
Osiris.

[32]Abedjou was situated on the west bank of the Nile, the area where
the sun sets and prepares to descend into the Duat. It is also here
where many cemeteries and necropolii were placed in the ancient days.

_Festival of Osiris_

It was here at Abedjou that the yearly [33]Passion Plays of Osiris
were acted out. These drew pilgrims and visitors from all over the
country and rituals were held within the closed-off sacredness of the
temples, while outside of them people acted out the drama of the
[34]Myth of Osiris. It went on for days and were probably one of the
most frequented and longest celebrated of ancient Egyptian festivals.
We donīt know very much about what exactly went on, it seems that both
priests and lay people assumed roles as deities and other characters
from the myths and acted out these mythical events. A stela in the
Berlin Museum tells about a high official called Ikhernofret, living
in the Middle Kingdom, who was ordered by the king to use 'Nubian
gold' for decorating the cult statue of Osiris, and to construct a new
shrine out of cedar wood for the god. The shrine was inlaid with gold,
lapis lazuli, silver, and bronze.

Then the stela tells that a bark, called 'neshmet' was made, to carry
the shrine enclosing the cult statue on, and it also tells of what
processions were made:

_The Procession of Wepwawet:_

Wepwawet was an ancient canine deity, said to open up the way. Here he
acted as a herald of Osiris.

_The Great Procession_

The shrine of Osiris is carried in a funeral procession from his
temple to a symbolic tomb. On the way there is a struggle enacted
against his enemies.

_Return to the Temple_

The shrine and the ceremonial barks are brought back on the Nile to
the temple for concluding purification rites.

_Osiris in the Middle and New Kingdom_

Towards the end of the Old Kingdom and during the First Intermediate,
the concept of the King being the sole one to be transformed into
Osiris and eternal life began to spread to other high nobles and
courtiers. This is often called the 'democratization of the funerary
beliefs'. Already in tombs of nobles during the 5th Dynasty there are
signs of Osiris being the protective deity, and in the 11th - 15th
Dynasties, accompanying funerary texts had become a 'must' for
officials and those who could afford to have these made. Osiris became
more and more the 'King of Those Who Are Not', meaning that his
kingdom was the Duat where the dead lived their eternal lifes.

In the New Kingdom there is also once again signs of the polarity
between life and death, as Osiris is called Lord of the Living', Lord
of the Universe or 'Ruler of Eternity'. The many epithets of Osiris
can be seen in the Book of Going forth By Day, spell 142. Here is just
a small selection:
__
Osiris of the Region of Life
Osiris, the Lord of Life
Presiding over the Harpoon
Presiding over the Houses
Osiris in the Southern and Northern Chapels (in Sais)
Osiris, the Creator of Millions
Osiris Dwelling in the Waste Land
Osiris in Bahbit
Osiris the Begetter
Osiris in the House of Re
Osiris the Many-faced

_Osiris in the Late Period_

Already in the Ptolemaic Period, Osiris was merged with the
Hellenistic [35]Serapis, for whom there was a cult center at
Alexandria; the Serapion, but was still worshipped in his own right as
Spouse of Aset and King of the Underworld. In the 22nd Dynasty
onwards, six sanctuaries built for Osiris at Karnak, by the divine
adoratrices to Amun. Here are inscriptions mentioning Osiris as
upholder of Ma'at. Psamtik I restored a temple to Osiris-Apis at
Saqqara, and at Djedu (Gr: Busiris) there was another important cult
center. So there were several important cult centers for Osiris built,
renovated or added to during this period. Some of these places were
linked to the Ptolemaic version of the myth which tells about Osirisīs
dismemberment by Set by claiming that parts of the godīs body were
buried there. Among these were:

Tjebnutjer (Sebennytos)
Henen-Nesut (Herakleopolis)
Hut-Heryib (Athribis)
[36]Abedjou (Abydos)
Edfu
Bigeh Island

_Osiris at Bigeh_

On the Island of Bigeh, close to the island of [37]Philae, there is
said to be found 16 mythical tombs to Osiris. The island is also
called 'Abaton', which means 'inaccessible'. Speaking loudly was
forbidden here, and the statue of [38]Aset, his sister-spouse, was
brought over from Philae at regular intervals to make offerings at his
tombs.

It was also believed that [39]Hapi, the personification of the
inundation, to whom Osiris had a close connection, lived in a cave on
Bigeh, the entrance being protected by a sacred snake.
_Main center of worship:_

[40]Abedju/Abydos, 8th Nome, Upper Egypt

Virtual visit to [41]Abydos.

_Other sites:_

_Saqqara_, 1st Nome, Lower Egypt - to Osiris-Apis & Isis

_Hut-Heryib_/Athribis, 1st N, Lower Egypt

_Busiris/_Abusir, 9th Nome, Lower Egypt

_Taposiris Magna_ west of Alexandria, Lower Egypt

_Djanīnet_Tanis, west of, 19th N, Lower Egypt

_Bigeh by Philae_ 1st N, Upper Egypt

_Waset_/Thebes, 4th N, Upper Egypt, at _Karnak_ there was 5 chapels
built to Osiris and a small temple to Osiris-Heka-djet.

_Festivals:_ (dates not historically verified)

_Middle July, the 1st Epagomenal Day, is the Birthday of Osiris
(Osiris)_

Middle August - _25th Thuti_ - _Osirian Mysteries_

Middle August - _30th Thuti_ - _Rituals in the Temples of Ra, Horus
and Osiris_

End August - _13th Paopi_ - _Day of Satisfying the Hearts of the
Ennead_

BeginningSeptember - _16th Paopi_ - _Feast of Osiris_

Beginning September - _19th Paopi_ - _Ceremony of Raising the Djed
Pillar_

Middle September - _30th Paopi_ - _Kemet in festival for Ra, Osiris
and Horus_

End September - _12th Hethara_ - _Osiris goes forth to [42]Abydos_

End October - _11th Koiak_ - _Feast of Wasir (Osiris) in [43]Abydos_

End October - _12th Koiak_ - _Day of Transformation into the Bennu
Bird _

End October - _13th Koiak_ - _Day of Going Forth of Het-Hert and the
Ennead_

End October -- _14th Koiak_ - _Coming forth of the Bennu transformed._

Beginning November - _12st Koiak_ - _Raising the Djed Pillar_

Middle November - _30th Koiak_ - _The Ennead feast in the House of Ra,
Heru and Wasir_

Beginning December - _18th Tybi_ - _Going forth of the Netjeru of
[44]Abydos_

Beginning January - _17th Mechir_ - _Day of keeping the things of
Osiris (Osiris) in the hands of Anpu (Anubis)_

End January - _6th Pamenot_ - _Festival of Jubilation for Osiris
(Osiris) in Busiris_

Midd1e February - _28th Pamenot_ - _Feast of Osiris (Osiris)in
[45]Abydos_

Middle February - _30th Pamenot_ - _Feast of Osiris (Osiris) in
Busiris; The Doorways of the Horizon are opened_

Middle March - _30th Parmutit_ - _Offerings to Ra, Wasir, Heru, Ptah,
Sokar and Atum_

Beginning May - _18th Payni_ - _Wasir Goes Forth from His mountain_

[46]Abedjou/Abydos

From Dynasty 12 onwards the annual [47]Mystery Plays were enacted by
priests at the cult center of Osiris at Abydos. In these were acted
out the events in the life and death of Osiris, it was an occasion of
great rejoicing, not only for the priests but also for pilgrims who
used to travel from many miles around to participate. Some of the
rites were held outside of the temple precinct while others, the most
sacred ones, were enacted in the most secluded parts of the temple.

At this point [48]Abydos held a unique position as a center of
pilgrimage. Many people arranged to be buried there, or to have their
mummies transported there before being taken back to be entombed. It
was also common to have a stelae set up there. As it was believed that
this was the burial place of Osiris, it was desirable to associate
oneself with [49]Abydos in some way, to ensure resurrection.

But the exact location of the first cult place of Osiris is yet
uncertain. Right behind the 19th Dynasty temple built by Seti I at
Abedjou lies a large and unexplained building, which is called the
'Osireion'. Ths was thought to be the burial place of Osiris.

_Osiris-beds_

From the New Kingdom there are found in tombs wooden frames in the
form of Osiris - so called Osiris-beds. These were filled with silt
and seeds of barley and are thought to symbolize resurrection and
regrowth, and thereby also Osirisīs triumph over Set.

_The Djed-pillar_

The Djed-pillar was attested already before the first mentionings of
Osiris. The word 'djed' means 'stability' or 'continuity of power' and
its link with the King is thought to symbolize and enhance the
strength and endurability of kingship.

It existed already about 2600 BC, and is found as a decoration on the
tiles in the Step Pyramid at Saqqara.

There are various ideas about what it actually depicts but no
consensus has sofar been reached. In the Book of Going Forth By Day it
is called the vertebrae or backbone of Wesir/Osiris, and there are
papyri showing the Djed pillar with human arms holding the crook and
flail, an surrounded with the 'atef' crown.

There is also a ritual called the 'Raising of the Djed pillar', which
formed a part of a royal jubilee ritual for Senwosret I (Dyn 12), and
it is also depicted in the tomb of one official named Kheruef, as
being a ritual of raising the Djed pillar, performed by the King.

_A note about Nepri:_

Nepri is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts as being a god of harvest and
of grain. In one passage the deceased is being identified with Osiris
and with barley, as well as with Nepri.

In the Coffin Texts Nepri is called 'one who lives on after death'.
Here we see the reasons for connecting him and Osiris.

Nepri is shown in human form, often as a child being suckled by
Renenutet.

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No text or images may be used without permission from the webmistress
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[66]Contact me

[LINK]

A selection of sources:
Temples of Ancient Egypt - Dieter Arnold
Temples of the Last Pharaohs - Dieter Arnold
The Pyramid Texts - transl: R.O. Faulkner
The Coffin Texts - transl: R.O. Faulkner
Daily Life of the Egyptian Gods - by Dimitri Meeks & Christine
Favard-Meeks
Egyptian Myths - by George Hart
A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses - George Hart
Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt - Erik Hornung
Egyptian Religion - Siegfried Morenz
Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt - R.T. Rundle Clark
The Egyptians - Barbara Watterson
Symbol & Magic in Egyptian Art - Richard H. Wilkinson
My special thanks to [67]House of Netjer for allowing me to draw from
their vast knowledge of the Netjeru!
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