How Mummies were born

The Egyptians believed that their god, Ra, created the world. Ra’s great grandson was Osiris, a good and peace-loving Pharaoh or king. His queen was Isis and well-suited for the high office.

Together, Osiris and Isis ruled over Egypt, doing a lot of good. For instance, Osiris put an end to cannibalism (this was around 4000 BC). He showed the people how to grow crops, bake bread and make wine. He also built the first temples and statues in Egypt.

On her part, Isis taught the women how to grind corn and weave cloth. She taught men how to make medicines. She can be recognised even today by her head dress which had a gold disc between two horns. Her son Horus had the head of a falcon, and, in later years, was considered the sun god.

One day, Osiris told Isis that he was going to Asia where he wanted to start good work there. “Who will rule Egypt in your absence?” asked Isis.

“You will,” replied Osiris, with absolute confidence. And Isis ruled excellently. All would have been well except for Set, the younger brother of Osiris. He had a nasty nature and hated Osiris. There was no way he could usurp the throne while Osiris was away because Isis was an extraordinarily good and able queen.

So Set resorted to cunning. He began to praise Osiris whenever the opportunity arose. When Osiris returned from Asia, Set invited him to a grand feast. Seventy-two of his wicked friends were present as well. At the end of the banquet, Set clapped his hands and four men entered, bearing a resplendent chest, lined with gold and silver and inlaid with precious gems. “Let us end the celebration with a contest. The chest belongs to whoever can fit into it.”

Several of Set’s fat friends attempted it but failed. “Let me try,” said the unsuspecting Osiris. He walked up to the chest, stepped in and lay down. At once, Set’s wicked friends closed the lid, tied it with chains, and locked it. Then they threw the chest into the River Nile.

The chest became Osiris’ coffin. It floated own the Nile and reached the sea. It continued to float along till it was washed ashore under a tamarisk tree on the Phoenician coast. The tree folded its branches around the chest and sheltered it in its trunk. That was its abode for several years.

The tree was hewn down as the king of that region wanted to make a pillar to support the royal roof. Then people noticed a strange thing. The pillar gave off a fragrance of honey and fresh flowers. This was so unusual that news of it spread like wild fire. It reached Egypt. Isis too heard it. With her magical power, she realised that Osiris’ body must be in that pillar. She had spent a long time searching for her Osiris’ body but had failed.  She sped to the place where the pillar was, split it open and removed the coffin. She took it back to Egypt and concealed it on Chemmis, an island on the Nile. She stayed on the island, mourning Osiris.

Meanwhile, Set had taken charge of Egypt, ruling it with cruelty. He had a passion for hunting. It took him to Chemmis, where he spotted the coffin. He recognised it at once. “So my dear brother Osiris has returned to trouble me. This time I will ensure he doesn’t come back.” He opened the coffin and cut Osiris’ body into fourteen pieces. Then he flung the pieces in different directions, all over Egypt.

Isis had watched the dreadful deed, unseen by Set. She spent two whole years trying to collect the pieces. She managed to find thirteen of them. She put them together, using her magical powers. When she had finished the difficult task, she treated the body with certain substances to prevent decay. This was the process of embalming.  

Osiris woke up as if from a long, deep sleep. He and Isis went into the underworld where Osiris ruled over the dead as efficiently as he had ruled over the people of Egypt.
After this, embalming began to gain popularity. Isis, it is said, had started the custom. Pharaohs and noblemen were embalmed before being wrapped in cloth.

To complete the story, Horus and Set fought several fierce battles until Horus killed Set with a harpoon. He then became the Pharaoh of Egypt, the last god in human form to rule over Egypt.