FORTY-TWO JUDGES. The MORTUARY RITUALSin most eras
revolved around this role of Osiris, and the BOOK OF THE
DEADoffered various accounts of the ritual of weighing
the hearts of the dead to judge their worthiness for eter-
nal bliss.
The god, however, represented more than fertility
and judgment. Most of his appeal was based on his
embodiment of the cosmic harmony. The rising Nile was
his insignia, and the moon’s constant state of renewal
symbolized his bestowal of eternal happiness in the lands
beyond the grave. In this capacity he also became the
model of human endeavors and virtues, judging each and
every individual at the moment of death and also
demanding an accounting of human behavior and atti-
tudes. This role distinguishes Osiris, particularly in view
of the normal religious or moral concepts governing
other nations on the early stages of human development.
In time, Abydos became the center of the cult of
Osiris, and pilgrims made their way there for various cel-
ebrations. Families also arrived with the remains of their
loved ones, seeking a small plot of land for a burial on
the site. The deceased longed to be buried beside Osiris,
and if such a burial was not possible, the relatives of the
dead person placed a mortuary stela in the area of Aby-
dos so that the individual could share in Osiris’s bliss.
Other cultic observances were conducted in the name of
Osiris.
Suggested Readings:Harris, Geraldine. Isis and Osiris.
New York: NTC Publishing Group, 1997; Houston, Jean.
The Passion of Isis and Osiris: A Gateway to Transcendant
Love. New York: Ballantine Publishing Group, 1998;
Schumann-Antelme, Ruth, and Jon Graham, trans.
Becoming Osiris: The Ancient Egyptian Death.Rochester,
Vt.: Inner Traditions International, 1998; Wallis Budge, E.
A. Osiris: The Egyptian Religion of Resurrection.London:
Kegan Paul, 2001.
Osiris beds Unique boxes used in tombs in many his-
torical periods of Egypt’s history, these “beds” were fash-
ioned out of wood or pottery and made in the shape of
mummified Osirises. They were normally hollow and
filled with Nile mud and seeds of corn or grain. They
were then wrapped in mummy linens. The seeds
sprouted, representing the resurrection of Osiris and the
return of the crops each year. The most famous Osiris bed
was in the tomb of DJER(r. c. 2900 B.C.E.), the second
ruler of Egypt, whose ABYDOStomb was identified as the
actual grave of Osiris. KHENDJER (r. c. 1740 B.C.E.)
installed an elaborate Osiris bed in this tomb, depicting
the god lying on a bier formed by the bodies of lions.
Osiris festivals These were the religious celebrations
held throughout Egypt to honor the deity Osiris, espe-
cially in the cult center of ABYDOS. The seasonal cycles of
life were mirrored in these feasts, as nature was personi-
fied in the death and resurrection of the god. The annual
MYSTERIES OF OSIRIS AND ISIS, a form of passion play, was
the most popular observance. A festival held in Novem-
ber, according to the modern calendar, was designed to
“Behold the Beauty of the Lord.” This was celebrated on
the 17th to the 20th of Athyr (November 14–17) and was
at times Egypt’s most well attended observance.
Another festival, called “the Fall of the Nile,”
observed the receding waters of the rivers and was a time
of mourning for Osiris. The Nile represented Osiris’
capacity to renew the earth and restore life to the nation.
In modern May, on the 19th of Pakhons, the Egyptians
returned to the river with small shrines containing metal
(sometimes gold) vessels. They poured water into the
Nile, crying out: “Osiris Is Found.” Other shrines were
cast adrift into the Nile. Mud and spices were also
molded into shapes to honor Osiris’s return.
This festival was similar to “the Night of the Tear” in
modern June. The festival honoring an Osirian symbol,
the djedor djetpillar, was held on the modern January- The pillars were raised up to welcome Osiris and the
coming harvests. The pharaoh and his court participated
in this festival. The queens and their retinues sang hymns
for the occasion.
Osiris gardens Special plantings were placed inside of
molds shaped like the mummified deity. These molds
were filled with soil and fertilizers as well as grain seeds
and Nile water. The Osiris gardens were tended during
festivals honoring the god. They sprouted, demonstrating
the powers of the deity, in much the same fashion as the
OSIRIS BEDS.Osiris mysteries These were the annual ceremonies
conducted in honor of the god OSIRIS, sometimes called
the Mysteries of Osiris and ISIS, passion plays, or morality
plays, and staged in ABYDOSat the beginning of each year.
They are recorded as being observed in the Twelfth
Dynasty (1991–1783 B.C.E.) but were probably performed
for the general populace much earlier.
Dramas were staged in Abydos, with the leading roles
assigned to high-ranking community leaders or to temple
priests. The mysteries recounted the life, death, mummi-
fication, resurrection, and ascension of Osiris, and the
dramas were part of a pageant that lasted for many days.
Egyptians flocked to the celebrations. After the perfor-
mances, a battle was staged between the FOLLOWERS OF
HORUSand the FOLLOWERS OF SET. This was a time-hon-
ored rivalry with political as well as religious overtones.
Part of the pageant was a procession in which a statue of
Osiris, made out of electrum, gold, or some other pre-
cious material, was carried from the temple. An outdoor
shrine was erected to receive the god and to allow the
people to gaze upon “the Beautiful One.” There again290 Osiris beds