Osiris is a god in ancient Egyptian religion who was associated with fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation. He was the son of Geb, the Earth deity, and Nut, the sky goddess, and his wife and sister was Isis, the goddess of motherhood, magic, fertility, death, healing, and rebirth. Osiris was depicted as a green-skinned deity with a pharaohs beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive atef crown, and holding a symbolic crook and flail.

One of the most well-known myths about Osiris is that he was killed by his brother Set, who wanted Osiris throne. His wife, Isis, finds the body of Osiris and hides it in the reeds where it is found and dismembered by Set. Isis retrieves and joins the fragmented pieces of Osiris, then briefly revives him by use of magic. Osiris then descends into the underworld, where he becomes the lord of that domain.

Osiris was not only the ruler of the dead but also the power that granted all life from the underworld, from sprouting vegetation to the annual flood of the Nile River. From about 2000 BCE onward, it was believed that every man, not just the deceased kings, became associated with Osiris at death. This identification with Osiris, however, did not imply resurrection, for even Osiris did not rise from the dead. Instead, it signified the renewal of life both in the next world and through one’s descendants on Earth.

Osiris festivals symbolically reenacting the god’s fate were celebrated annually in various towns throughout Egypt. A central feature of the festivals during the late period was the construction of the “Osiris garden,” a mold in the shape of Osiris, filled with soil. The mold was moistened with the water of the Nile and sown with grain. Later, the sprouting grain symbolized the vital strength of Osiris.

In summary, Osiris is a god in ancient Egyptian religion who was associated with fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation. He was the son of Geb and Nut, and his wife and sister was Isis. One of the most well-known myths about Osiris is that he was killed by his brother Set, and his wife Isis retrieved and joined the fragmented pieces of Osiris. Osiris was not only the ruler of the dead but also the power that granted all life from the underworld.