Isis: Goddess of Royalty and Magic
Isis, the goddess of magic and healing, played a significant role in ancient Egyptian religion. Although the ancient Egyptians referred to her as Aset, she is now more commonly recognized by her Greek name, Isis. Her headpiece, which is generally a throne, reflects the fact that her name translates to "Queen of the Throne." She is also sometimes shown with the goddess Mut's vulture headdress, and at other times, a disk with horns on it, which is a symbol of the goddess Hathor. She absorbed their characteristics and adopted their headdresses. Isis can also be viewed as a winged goddess who, when she visited her husband in the underworld, brought new air there.
Isis was the sister and wife of Osiris, the deity of the underworld. It is reported that she and Osiris were in love even when she was still in the womb. Isis was also the mother of Horus, the pharaoh's guardian. The most famous Isis narrative begins when Seth, Osiris' jealous brother, dissected him and spread his body parts over Egypt. According to ancient holy legends, the other deities were so impressed with Isis' commitment to locating her beloved husband that they assisted her in resurrecting him.
Because she possessed so many varied abilities, Isis was immensely significant to the ancient Egyptians. She was both the bringer of magic and the defender of women. Isis first served as Osiris's sidekick, but through adoration over millennia, she evolved into the universe's ruler and the personification of cosmic order. She was thought to have authority over fate itself by the time of the Roman era. Even containers in the form of the goddess existed, each with a pouring hole in one of her nipples. It was believed that she would grant the milk poured through these cups magical protection if a spell was also cast.
