028 Mother and Child - Isis and Horus

Museum Description: Limestone Statuette of Isis with Horus

Room: 13/Case: None/Number: GR 1888.6-1.31

Scripture: Exodus 9:11

This mother and child image is of the Egyptian goddess Isis and the child Horus.  Isis supposedly had the power of healing, but couldn't prevent the sixth plague of boils.  Horus was a solar god, but couldn't stop the lights going out during the ninth plague of darkness.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a humble Jewish woman, calling herself Jehovah's slave girl.  How, then, did she become worshipped, prayed to, and called "Madonna - the Mother of God"?  Mother goddesses have long been a feature of false worship, for example Isis, Astarte, Ishtar, Cybele, Artemis and Diana.  The similarity of the 'mother and child' pose used for these false gods and the composition of the so-called Madonna and Child are striking. Members of Christendom have even worshipped these images in ignorance, not realising they were actually the pagan versions!  Other similar or related artefacts are on display in The British Museum.

Not Currently On Display