Osiris was depicted as rising from the dead and ascending
to heavenly realms. Other mysteries honoring other
deities were held in HELIOPOLIS, BUSIRIS, BUBASTIS, MEM-
PHIS, and THEBES. Some of these included processions and
staged battles including dramas featuring WEPWAWET, the
ancient wolf god.
Osiris’s temple This was the major shrine of Osiris in
ABYDOS, now called Kom el-Sultan by the Egyptians.
There were many sites of worship dedicated to Osiris in
the Nile Valley and beyond, but the god’s main cultic
temple was located in Abydos, the city dedicated to him.
Only the ramparts of the temple are visible today. A lime-
stone portico erected by RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.)
is also evident. The temple, called the Osireion in some
records, dates to the Third Dynasty (2649–2575 B.C.E.) or
possibly earlier. This is older than the OSIREIONerected
by SETI I(r. 1306–1290 B.C.E.).
Osochor (Aa’kheperre setepenré) (Osorkon the
Elder)(d. 978 B.C.E.) Ruler of the Twenty-first Dynasty
He reigned from 984 B.C.E. until his death. He succeeded
AMENEMOPEat TANIS. Osochor was the son of a Libyan
chief named SHOSHENQand the Lady MEKHTEMWESKHET
(1). No monuments are attributed to him. His son was
SIAMUN(1).
Osorkon I (Sekhemkheperré setepenré)(d. 909
B.C.E.) Second ruler of the Twenty-second Dynasty
He reigned from 924 B.C.E. at TANISuntil his death.
Osorkon I was the son and heir of SHOSHENQ Iand Queen
MA’ATKARÉ(2) and the grandson of PSUSENNES II. He mar-
ried Queen MA’ATKARÉ (3), and had another consort,
TASEDKHONSU. His sons were SHOSHENQ II, TAKELOT I, and
IUWELOT.
Osorkon I was militarily active, campaigning in the
Levant and in Palestine. A statue of him was raised up in
BYBLOSin modern Lebanon. In the early years of his
reign, he was generous to Egypt’s temples. He also devel-
oped a strong series of military units to control irrigation
and development projects in the FAIYUM.KOPTOSand ABY-
DOSbenefited as well from his patronage and he built
temples at el-HIBAand Atfih.
When Iuput, his brother, retired as the high priest of
Amun at THEBES, Osorkon I installed his son SHOSHENQin
that office and named him coregent. Shoshenq, however,
died before inheriting the throne and Osorkon I was suc-
ceeded by TAKELOT I. Osorkon I was buried in Tanis.
Osorkon II (Userma’atre Setepenamun)(d. 855
B.C.E.) Fifth ruler of the Twenty-second Dynasty
He reigned from 883 B.C.E. until his death. Osorkon II
was the son of TAKELOT Iand Queen KAPESand the grand-
son of OSORKON I. His reign is considered by many to be
the last true flowering of the dynasty. He allowed his
cousin HARSIESE to assume the post of high priest of
Amun in THEBES. Harsiese, the son of SHOSHENQ II, took a
royal name and pharaonic titles, and Osorkon II’s regal
powers were thus reduced.
Marrying Queen KAROMANA (4) and Queen DJED-
MUTESANKH, Osorkon II had four sons: SHOSHENQ, NIM-
LOT(3) HARNAKHTE(2), and TAKELOT II. When Harsiese
died, Osorkon appointed his son Nimlot as the successor
in the Amunite priesthood in Thebes. Harnakhte was
named the ranking prelate in TANIS. Shoshenq, the crown
prince, did not live long enough to inherit the throne
from his father.
Osorkon II embellished the temples at BUBASTISand
celebrated his HEB-SEDat Bubastis in his 22nd regnal year.
Temples were exempted from taxes during his reign.
Osorkon II also built at MEMPHIS, Tanis, and Thebes, and
he maintained a relative peace while watching the rise of
Assyria. Records indicate that Osorkon II made a tribute
to the Assyrian ruler Shalmanesser II (859–824 B.C.E.) to
avoid battles and possible invasion.
When Osorkon II died, he was placed in a gigantic
sarcophagus with a Ramessid Period lid in Tanis. The
burial chamber was lined with granite. Prince Harnakhte
was buried beside his father. There are some records that
state that Harnakhte was too large for his sarcophagus,
and as a result his mummy suffered the loss of its legs
and feet. SHOSHENQ Vwas also buried with Osorkon II.
Takelot II, Osorkon II’s youngest son, succeeded him
after a period of coregency.Osorkon III(d. 749 B.C.E.) Ruler of the Twenty-third
Dynasty
He reigned from 777 B.C.E. until his death. The son of
TAKELOT IIand Queen KAROMANA(5),he was made the
high priest of Amun at THEBESwhile still a prince. His rel-
ative, HARSIESE, started a revolt that continued on and off
for 12 years and forced Osorkon to take military action
and to face banishment for a number of years. In one
campaign, he burned the bodies of the rebels, an act that
was condemned as sacrilege by the Egyptians. The
BUBASTITE PORTALin KARNAKdescribes some of his tra-
vails.
SHOSHENQ IIIusurped or inherited the throne and
banished Osorkon from Thebes. In time, however, he was
recalled and shared the prelature with IUPUT for two
years. Osorkon III’s younger brother, Bakenptah, served
as high priest in HERAKLEOPOLIS. In 777 B.C.E., Osorkon
III was crowned in Thebes and recognized by the Libyan
Chiefs of Ma at MENDES. He was on the throne during the
last 13 years of Shoshenq III’s reign in Tanis. He married
Queen KARAOTJET, the mother of SHEPENWEPET I, TAKELOT
III, and RUDAMON. Shepenwepet I was made the GOD’S
WIFE OF AMUN, or the Divine Adoratrice at Thebes.
Takelot was put in charge of Herakleopolis and served
as the high priest in Thebes. Takelot was then namedOsorkon III 2 91