The number of gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt reached 147, but the most revered and great of them was Isis.
Isis was the embodiment of the feminine principle, the keeper of the family hearth, mother and fertility. All cultures and religions that, in one way or another, came into contact with the Egyptian, worshiped Isis.
The meaning of the feminine principle in the beliefs of ancient Egypt
Among pagan beliefs, the image of Isis was distinguished by the fact that it most vividly reflected the reverence and worship of the feminine principle, which was so popular at that time. Isis is not just the goddess, sister and wife of Osiris, the mother of Horus and the patroness of the Egyptians' life, she is a collective image of all the best that a woman has. She personified that feminine principle, which, uniting with the masculine principle, made it possible for all living things to exist.
Throughout Egypt, Isis enjoyed a special veneration, she was the goddess who was worshiped in every region, in every village. As mentioned above, 147 gods were worshiped in Egypt. Each region and even a village had its own patron and venerated certain gods in different ways. Isis was for all Egyptians a divine mother who protected from troubles, a patroness in various endeavors. It is impossible to list those situations in which the Egyptians appealed to Isis, it is easier to name those to which she had nothing to do.
Women and mothers, small children and the hearth naturally enjoyed the special location of this goddess. It was believed that Isis helped the Nile flood every year, without which farming in these parts was impossible. Therefore, she was not only a mother goddess, but also a fertility goddess. Even sailors asked for the protection of Isis, since she was considered the goddess of the wind, she was considered the divine mother of all pharaohs. Isis was always present at the birth of the pharaohs and helped the mothers to safely get rid of the burden. As the wife of Osiris and the ruler of the kingdom of the dead, she protected sarcophagi from evil spirits and helped souls on their way after death.
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A combination of loyalty and love, cunning and deceit
Isis is the sublime ideal of a woman for the ancient Egyptians. But the Egyptians perfectly understood the complexity and diversity of female nature, which was reflected in their religion. This is evidenced by two myths that show the true nature of Isis.
The first is the story of her husband, the god Osiris. Isis is the daughter of Nut (goddess of the sky) and Hebe (god of the earth). While still in her mother's womb, she already loved Osiris and subsequently became his wife. When Isis learned that her own brother Set, in order to take possession of the inheritance, insidiously killed Osiris and tore his body into pieces that were scattered throughout Egypt, she asked Anubis for help. Together they collected the body of Osiris and mummified him. Isis, turning into a falcon, covered her husband's body with her wings, cast a spell and conceived a child from him, Horus. Later she is often depicted as a winged woman or falcon, and her son Horus is portrayed as a man with a falcon's head. Osiris became the ruler of the kingdom of the dead, and Isis, in order to protect her child, retired to the swamps of the Nile delta, where she raised and protected the Mountain, until the moment,when he could claim a legal inheritance. Isis helped him in this when, at the trial of the gods, she forced Seth to admit his guilt and give the inheritance to Horus. She supported her son throughout his confrontation with Seth. In this myth, Isis appears as a faithful loving wife and caring mother. Sirius was considered the constellation of the goddess. It was during his ascent that the Egyptians were considered a sign of the imminent flood of the Nile. It was believed that the process of resurrecting Osiris by Isis repeats every year, water spills from the body of Osiris, and the waters of the Nile irrigate the earth. Along with this, there was another version: the tears of Isis, which she shed over her husband's body, made the Nile overflow. She supported her son throughout his confrontation with Seth. In this myth, Isis appears as a faithful loving wife and caring mother. Sirius was considered the constellation of the goddess. It was during his ascent that the Egyptians were considered a sign of the imminent flood of the Nile. It was believed that the process of resurrecting Osiris by Isis repeats every year, water spills from the body of Osiris, and the waters of the Nile irrigate the earth. Along with this, there was another version: the tears of Isis, which she shed over her husband's body, made the Nile overflow. She supported her son throughout his confrontation with Seth. In this myth, Isis appears as a faithful loving wife and caring mother. Sirius was considered the constellation of the goddess. It was during his ascent that the Egyptians were considered a sign of the imminent flood of the Nile. It was believed that the process of resurrecting Osiris by Isis repeats every year, water spills from the body of Osiris, and the waters of the Nile irrigate the earth. Along with this, there was another version: the tears of Isis, which she shed over her husband's body, made the Nile overflow. Along with this, there was another version: the tears of Isis, which she shed over her husband's body, made the Nile overflow. Along with this, there was another version: the tears of Isis, which she shed over her husband's body, made the Nile overflow.
But there is another myth that tells of Isis as a cunning and insidious woman. She was considered the most powerful sorceress among people, Isis wished to become the most powerful among the gods. She wanted to master the knowledge of the supreme god Ra. Learning that he had become decrepit, and saliva was dripping from his mouth, Isis picked it up and made a snake out of it, which bit Ra. He screamed, and all the gods came running to his cry, but no one could save Ra, since he was poisoned by his own creation. Only Isis had an antidote, but she agreed to give it only in exchange for the secret name of Ra. The Egyptians believed that knowing the true name of a person or god gives unlimited power over him. God Ra had no choice but to communicate his true name to Isis, as a result of which she received power over him and was able to master his knowledge. It is believed that she did this in orderto help his son Horus ascend to the throne of the supreme god.