Isis—The Great Lady of All
Isis, a name that echoes through the sands of time, belongs to an Egyptian goddess who’s captured the hearts and minds of people for thousands of years. She wasn't just any goddess but a symbol of many things—a beloved queen, a loving mother, a capable healer, a mourning wife, and a magician with unimaginable power.
Imagine a goddess who could do almost anything. She could make plants grow and heal people with a touch. She could protect her mortals in their moment of weakness or aid helpless children when they gazed toward the heaven and called upon the great lady of all. Isis was like the superhero of the ancient times. People in Egypt looked up to her, prayed to her, and told stories about her great adventures. She was like a star in the Egyptian sky, shining bright with stories of love, bravery, and magic.
Today we're going to take a journey back in time to discover the real story behind the fictional Isis of Treasures of Egypt. We'll explore who Isis was, where she came from, and why she was so important. We'll see how she helped shape the lives of people in ancient Egypt and why her stories are still told today. From being a loving mother to a wise queen, Isis was a goddess who did it all.
Origins and Family
Isis's story begins with her birth to two very important gods. Her mother was Nut, the goddess of the sky. Her father was Geb, the god of the earth.
She had three siblings, and each of them was also a powerful god or goddess. Her brother Osiris was the god of the afterlife, and people believed that, before his death, he was the king of Egypt who gave the Egyptians all the tools to build their civilization. Then there was Set, another brother, who was the god of deserts, storms, and destruction. He often caused trouble, to say the least. Imagine an Egyptian Loki, not necessarily evil but not exactly good either. Nephthys, her sister, was the goddess of mourning and funerals. She was, more or less, the stereotypical younger sister who was full of potential but often overshadowed by her popular and more successful older sister. If these siblings went to school today, Isis would be the homecoming queen, the top student in all of her classes, and the president of a couple of clubs. Osiris would be the class president who wins simply because he is Osiris. Nephthys would be the emo girl who loves edgy YA novels about vampires and Set would be that one kid who always gets sent to the principal’s office.
In some older stories, Isis had a fourth sibling called Horus the Elder, not to be confused with Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. Ah, yes, this is Egyptian mythology. If you thought Cersei and Jaime Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire were weird, let me assure you, relationships in Egyptian mythology are much worse.
Speaking of siblings who got a bit too close, as you’ve probably figured out from the previous paragraph, Isis married her brother Osiris. In ancient Egyptian stories, it was “normal” for gods to marry their siblings. While we are at it, Set and Nephthys got married as well. Now let’s just get past that weird aspect of it.
You might’ve already noticed that Isis's family wasn't just any family and you would be correct. They were like a team of super-gods, each with their own powers and roles. And at the top of this family tree was Ra, the sun god. He was the creator of everything, and he was Isis's great-grandfather. Imagine having a great-grandfather who made the world! So, she did come from money. But she was also quite modest about it. Well, as modest as a supreme goddess can be.
Characteristics and Depiction
Isis was an Egyptian goddess with many roles. She was like a super-mom for the ancient Egyptians, known for taking care of others, especially in tough times. People thought of her as the goddess of motherhood because she was caring and protective, just like a mom. She was also connected to fertility, which means she was believed to help with the growth of crops and the birth of babies.
Magic was another big part of Isis's story. She was famous for her magical powers. People believed she could heal the sick and even bring people back to life. Her wisdom and knowledge of magic made her one of, if not the most powerful goddess in ancient Egypt.
Isis also represented the natural world, including things like rivers, plants, and animals. This connection to nature made her an important goddess for farmers and others who depended on the land.
When it came to how Isis looked, she was often shown as a very beautiful and prideful woman. She wore a long, tight white dress called a sheath dress. This kind of dress was common in ancient Egypt. Sometimes, she was shown with a special crown on her head. This crown could look like a throne, emphasizing her role as king-maker and protector of the king and by extension Egypt and its people. Sometimes her crown could have cow horns with a circle in the middle, called a solar disk. The throne-shaped crown showed that she was connected to the rulers of Egypt while the cow horns and solar disk were symbols of her being a mother and connected to nature and life.
In pictures and statues, Isis looked majestic and powerful, but also kind and caring. This is how the ancient Egyptians remembered her: a powerful goddess with many important roles, from being a protector and healer to being a symbol of motherhood, kindness and nature.
The Goddess of Magic and Healing
Isis had amazing abilities that made her stand out. One of her most important powers was healing the sick. People believed that if someone was ill, Isis could make them feel better with her magic.
Another incredible thing about Isis was her power to bring the dead back to life. This was a very special ability that showed just how strong her magic was. Still not impressed? Well, how about this; Isis couldn’t just resurrect dead humans she could also resurrect dead gods. She used this power in the famous story of her husband, Osiris. After he was killed, Isis went on an epic adventure to find his body and used her magic to bring him back to life.
Isis was also a protector, especially of mothers and children. She was seen as a goddess who could keep people safe, not just in life, but also after they died. In ancient Egypt, the afterlife was very important, and having Isis's protection was something many people wanted. Basically, if a human showed kindness in life and stayed away from evil, Isis would guide them to the Field of Reeds (paradise) in the afterlife.
Because of these powers, people would often call on Isis when they needed help. If they were sick, scared, or needed protection, they believed Isis would be there to help them with her magic.
Isis in the Osiris Myth
The story of Isis and Osiris is one of the most famous and important myths in Egyptian culture. It's a tale of love, betrayal, and the power of magic. If you are familiar with the story of Hamlet or the Lion King you probably already know the story but let’s go over it one more time for clarity’s sake.
Osiris, Isis's husband, was a kind and wise king of Egypt. But his brother, Set, was jealous and wanted to be king. Set made a sneaky plan to get rid of his brother. He tricked Osiris into lying in a beautiful sarcophagus and then quickly closed it and threw it into the Nile River. Osiris was trapped inside and couldn't escape. Why did Osiris willingly get inside the sarcophagus? Well, he wanted to prove a point and before you ask the point was that he can fit inside the sarcophagus, yes. We all feel a little self-conscious about our figure after a feast. The gods were no exception.
Isis was heartbroken when she found out what happened to Osiris. Her love for him was as endless as the heavens and therefore she decided to look for him everywhere. She traveled all over, asking people and creatures if they had seen Osiris. Finally, she found the sarcophagus with Osiris's body in a distant land, namely in the city of Byblos in Phoenicia, modern-day Lebanon.
With Osiris’s body restored Isis used her magic to bring Osiris back to life. But Set was still up to no good. He found Osiris again and cut his body into many pieces, scattering them across Egypt.
Isis didn't give up. She searched all over Egypt to find each piece of Osiris. With the help of her magic and her sister Nephthys, she put Osiris's body back together. But one piece was missing (I’ll let you guess which piece).
Because Osiris was missing a piece of his body, even after his resurrection he couldn’t return to the mortal realm and therefore couldn't be the king of the living anymore. So, he became the king of the underworld, the place where Egyptians believed people went after they died. Isis had shown such love and power that she changed the way Egyptians thought about life and death.
This story shows us how strong and loving Isis was. She didn't let anything stop her from helping her husband. Her magic and determination made her one of the most respected goddesses in Egypt. People loved her because she showed them that love and loyalty contained such powerful magic that could overcome even the biggest challenges.
You might be wondering how this story resembles the tale of Hamlet or Simba and the answer lies in what Isis and Osiris did in the Underworld. They had a son. A young prince called Horus who, with his mother’s help, will one day confront his uncle to reclaim his father’s throne. But that’s a tale for another day.
Role in Ancient Egyptian Society
Isis played a vital part of everyday life in ancient Egypt both in the lives of commoners and royals alike. In fact, people believed that every pharaoh was her child. This was because pharaohs were seen as the living version of Horus, who was Isis's son. Because of this, Isis was like a mother to all of Egypt's rulers. Of course, this had the beneficial side effect of allowing the king to convince the people that rising against him would mean angering Isis which would make the afterlife a very unpleasant experience.
But Isis wasn't just important to kings and queens. She was also a role model for regular people, especially women. For example, Egyptian women saw themselves as the cornerstone of the family and guardians of Egypt itself, inspiring Egyptian queens like the great Ahhotep to fight against invaders as history’s first female general until she with her son King Ahmose by her side succeeded in liberating Egypt from foreign rule. So, no wonder that the people of the time compared Queen Ahhotep to the great lady of all.
Isis also taught women how to bake bread and brew beer. Bread was a main part of the Egyptian diet, so knowing how to bake it was essential. Brewing beer was also important. Beer wasn't just a drink for fun; it was an important source of nutrients for all, including children. It was safer than drinking water from the Nile, which could be dirty. Beer was also considerably less powerful compared to modern beer. Moreover, Isis taught women how to make clothes and before you disregard this as a trivial or stereotypical skill, many Egyptian women were successful business owners specializing specifically in clothes and fabric.
Because of all these teachings, Isis was seen as a protector and guide in daily life. People thought she could help with things like health, family, and making sure they had enough food. They often prayed to her for help with these things.
In festivals and religious ceremonies, people showed their love and respect for Isis. They would sing songs, offer food, and say prayers to honor her. These celebrations helped keep the stories of Isis alive and made her an everyday part of life in ancient Egypt.
Worship and Temples
The worship of Isis grew over time. This growth was so significant that temples were built in her honor not only in Egypt but also in faraway places around the Mediterranean Sea. These temples were places where people could come to pray, offer gifts, and seek the goddess's blessings.
One of the first and most important temples for Isis was built by King Nectanebo II in the Nile Delta. Other temples can be in places like Greece and Rome, people also started to worship her. Especially the slaves, the poor, and the homeless sought her protection so far away from her home. But even among the ranks of the nobility and royalty, Emperor Nero being a famous example, her temples became centers of worship and learning. People from all walks of life came to these temples. They learned about her stories, celebrated festivals in her honor, and shared her teachings.
Over time, as the influence of the ancient Egyptian civilization declined, and Christianity became the official religion of Egypt, Rome, and Greece, the worship of Isis changed and eventually decreased. However, her impact was so strong that she remains an important figure in history and mythology. Her temples, some of which still stand today, remind us of her widespread influence and the deep respect people had for her.
Legacy and Influence
Isis's legacy in modern Egypt goes beyond ancient myths. She is seen as the ultimate representation of an Egyptian woman. In Egyptian culture, Isis embodies qualities like unyielding strength, bravery, compassion, and determination. She is revered as someone who always gets the job done, showcasing the resilience and capability of Egyptian women.
There is a fun tradition in the Middle East called Henna Night. The Egyptian variation of that tradition, exclusive only to women, traces its roots back to Isis’s journey to save her husband. In Egypt, on the night before the wedding, the bride-to-be celebrates the Henna Night with the most important women in her life. The future bride cycles through fourteen dresses throughout the night symbolizing the fourteen regions of Egypt, the places where Isis found her husband's pieces. Then she would use the Henna plant to paint symbols of life on her hands, such as flowers, vines, and butterflies. Both symbols of Isis since she was the goddess of life and it is also known from the story that whenever she found and touched one of her husband's pieces his blood turned her hands red. The Henna Night today is a recreation of Isis’s journey of love, courage, perseverance, and faithfulness.
Moreover, Isis is celebrated as the protector of Egypt and its people, a guardian of traditions and values. This deep connection to Isis is evident in how she is still honored and remembered today. For instance during Egypt's Golden Parade in 2021, an event in which the mummies of the pharaohs were transported to the Grand Museum of Egyptian Civilization, a hymn dedicated to Isis was sung in ancient Egyptian by the renowned soprano Amira Selim. This performance was not just a tribute to the past; it symbolized the ongoing respect for Isis's qualities and her role as a cultural icon, especially in the context of showing respect to the ancestors.
Isis, in the collective memory of modern Egypt, stands as a symbol of strength, wisdom, and protection. She is a timeless figure, representing the ideals and virtues that are cherished in Egyptian society. Her story, far from being a distant myth, continues to inspire and reflect the spirit of the Egyptian people.
Isis in Treasures of Egypt
In the novel "Treasures of Egypt," the story of Isis has a small but important difference. While many things about her remain the same, there is one change: Ra is her direct father in this story. This change adds a unique twist to the well-known myth of Isis. In the novel, Isis still shows her famous qualities like strength, wisdom, and caring. She remains the brave and powerful protector, just like in the ancient Egyptian tales. But with Ra as her father, her connection to the sun and the sky becomes even stronger. This small change in her story also helps the somewhat complicated Egyptian pantheon become a little more accessible to newcomers.
Conclusion
Isis, the Great Lady of All, stands as a testament to the rich and complex mythology of ancient Egypt. Her multifaceted nature as a goddess of magic, healing, motherhood, and protection continues to fascinate scholars and enthusiasts alike, making her a timeless figure in world mythology.
Remember to cast the spell of regular updates to be the first to know about new posts, novels, and get many behind-the-scenes exclusives. If you would like to meet Isis in the realm of fiction, consider checking out my YA fantasy novel “Treasures of Egypt: the Spear & the Scythe.”
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