osiris
Osiris
pic of Osiris?: http://www.hallofmaat.com/read.php?1,433442,433586#msg-433586
Stand up Seth's ladder! Stand up, Horus's ladder, made for Osiris that he might go up on it to the sky and escort the Sun, for you have come in search of your brother Osiris, his brother Seth having cast him on his side in yonder side of Gazelle-land. N 428
Hemet-Ra Osiris:
http://www.hallofmaat.com/read.php?1,442959,442959#msg-442959
The name Osiris
The earliest appearances of the name of Osiris are written with three hieroglyphs, two phonograms and an ideogram used as a determinative to indicate the general idea of the name: D4 (iri) Q1 (st) + A40. The inscriptions in horizontal rows, have the 'eye' hieroglyph D4 (iri), placed over the 'seat' hieroglyph Q1 (st), and the determinative A40 ('seated god', a man seated on ground with long slightly curved beard, and straight long wig). The probable reason why the 'eye' hieroglyph (D4 (iri) is first, although it probably came last in the order when spoken, is that its a symmetrical arrangement - the 'eye' hieroglyph, a low broad sign, was placed over the two tall signs: Q1 (st) and the determinative A40.
In the Pyramid Texts, the determinative (A40) is not included in the name, Osiris. The 'seat' is first in the order, over or next to the 'eye' (iri), and this is probably the correct order. (Osiris in Coptic is OY-C-I-P-I, 'usiri', with the ending 'iri')
An example of the name Osiris in the Pyramid Texts, is from near the top centre of the west gable in the sarcophagus chamber inside the pyramid of Unis: "These are the two spells of Elephantine that are in the mouth of Osiris, which Horus has cast on the (snake's) spine." (W5; PT 230; Sethe Vol 1: 132 §234b)
Possible meanings of the name Osiris:
1. The iris and pupil of the 'eye' is similar to the 'sun' sign, N5 - a circle with a smaller circle in the centre.
In the following Pyramid Text, the king is the 'seed' of both Osiris and the Sun, and is identified with Horus - 'the star that crosses the Great Green'.
"Pepi is your seed, Osiris, which is sharp in your identity, (O seed), of Horus in the Great Green, Horus at the fore of the akhs.........Meryra is your seed, Sun, which is sharp in your identity, (O seed), of Horus at the fore of the akhs, the 'star that crosses the Great Green' (sbA DAi wAD-wr)" P 518; PT 576; Sethe Vol 2: 319 §1505ab and §1508bc
(note: Pepi is the king's personal name, and Meryra ('He Whom the Sun Desired'), his later throne name)
The sky's door has been opened, the Cool Waters door has been pulled open, for Horus of the gods...for eastern Horus....for Horus of Shezmet....for Osiris.....for Pepi Neferikare, that he might go forth at daybreak and become clean in the Marsh of Reeds. N 429 (PM); PT 479; Sethe Vol 2: 50-52 §981...985
note: Horus of Shezmet - epithet of Horus as the sun at dawn
The king came to Osiris, 'Lord of the Sky' P327 (MN); PT 477; Sethe Vol 1: 40, 41 §966, 968
From the 'Book of Going Forth By Day' (Papyrus of Ani) Chap. 15: "Turn your (Osiris) face to the West that you may illumine the Two Lands with fine gold. Those who were asleep stand up to look at you; they breathe the air, they see your face like the shining of the sun-disk in its horizon....."
2.
The convention for the written name, Osiris, in these early examples, is to have the 'eye' before (over) both the 'seat' and 'seated god' determinative, but if the 'seated god' determinative is not present, as in the Pyramid Texts and a Middle Kingdom coffin, B2Bo, the 'seat' was usually placed before (over) the 'eye'.
The 'eye' + 'seat' can mean 'make a place' - for example: "O great god whose identity is unknown, a meal in place for the sole lord! O lord of the Akhet, make a place (iri st) for Unis. If you do not make a place (iri st) for Unis....... W 165 (T) PT 254; Sethe Vol 1: 149 §277ab.
The determinative A40, is a key element in the name of Osiris - a useful clue in understanding the meaning and origin of the name. A simplified, stylized version was the normal way of drawing this sign, but in the tomb of xbtj-kA, more detail is shown - the man is sitting on his right leg which is folded back under him, with a bare left knee raised up towards his chest, exactly as in the 'seated man' hieroglyph, A1. However, unlike A1, A40 omits the arms, and the man has a long curved beard and long straight hair / wig that identifies him as a god.
By the Middle Kingdom, three signs were used as determinatives for 'god' (nTr): G7 ('falcon on standard'), R8 (nTr, 'short flagpole'), and A40. In Dyn 4, G7 was only used as the determinative for 'god' (nTr) and for 'Great God' (nTr aA). By Dyn 5 however, it was also used as a determinative for 'divine' / 'god' in the names of deities - for example the Sun (ra) had G7 as the det.
A40 is very similar to the hieroglyphs used to determine foreigners. For example, inscriptions from the valley temple of Sahura mention the 'iuntyu' ('pillar people', known from the Eastern deserts and Sinai), and the 'mentju' (nomadic peoples probably from the Eastern desert), both written with a determinative (repeated three times) very similar to A40 - the only noticeable difference, is a shorter, straight beard, but otherwise almost identical.
The reason why the A40 ideogram was used as a determinative to indicate the general idea of Osiris's name is not known - why not G7, the 'falcon on standard'? Was it used because Osiris was thought to have been originally a 'foreigner' - either in the sense that he was not from this 'world', or that he was linked with the nomadic peoples in the Eastern desert / Sinai regions - traditional enemies of Egypt? Egypt was a sophisticated developed culture with all the trappings of civilization, where the royal family and nobles sat on 'seats', unlike herdsmen / nomads who traveled light, lived in tents and sat on the ground.
Osiris and the djed-pillar:
The ideogram for 'djed-pillar' is the 'reed column' sign, R11, which is also the phonogram, Dd
One of the earliest mentions of the name Osiris, is from the mastaba tomb of Werirenptah (wr-jr-n-ptH) at Saqqara, a priestly official attached to the sun-temple of Neferirkara. On the false doors of Werirenptah and his wife, Khentetkaus (xn(t)-kAws), Osiris is mentioned four times as Osiris, Lord of Djedu (wsir nb Ddw). (James 1961: 28; Pl. XXVIII)
Djedu is written three times: D46 (d) R11 (Dd) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49, and once, R11 (Dd) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49, without the phonetic complement, D46 (d).
In the Dyn 5 tomb of Nykaiankh, a high priestly official connected with the Sun-temples of Userkaf and Nyuserre, Osiris is 'Foremost of Djedu' (wsir xnt Ddw) (James 1961: 20; Pl. XXI)
Here Djedu is written: R11 (Dd) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49, without any phonetic complements
In the Pyramid Texts, Djedu (Ddw) with phonetic complements, is written: I10 (D) D46 (d) R11 (Dd) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49
As Djedu was often written with the phonetic complements D and d, the 'djed pillar', R11, used in Djedu, may be simply the biliteral sign for Dd, with a meaning that alludes to stability / endurance.
However, if R11 is used here as an ideogram for the 'djed-pillar', then Djedu could mean, 'Town of the Djed-Pillar', which means wsir nb Ddw could be translated, Osiris, 'Lord of the town of the Djed-Pillar'
This interpretation is supported by an inscription in the pyramid of Teti where the djed-pillar is explicitly linked to Djedu (Gr. Busiris): "O, you of Djedu (Ddw), djed-pillar in his Ba's Settlement, Teti has been your eldest-begotten...." T 287 (PT 410) Sethe Vol 1: 394; §719a.
Here Djedu is written simply: R11 (Dd) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49.
A Middle Kingdom Coffin Text also associates the djed-pillar with Djedu: "The tribunal which is in Djedu on that night of erecting the djed-pillar" CT 338
Osiris is associated with Djedu in an inscription from the Dyn 6 pyramid of Neferkara: "....for they have seen their brother in Atum's festival, these cool waters of yours, Osiris, from [Djedu and from] His Ba's Settement." N 411 (PT 676) Sethe Vol 2: 486; §2010a.
Middle Kingdom Coffin Texts also associate Osiris with Djedu.
Djedu in Middle Kingdom Coffin Texts:
Ho N! Sail on the lakes of the Duat, row on the waters of this great god who is in Iunu, whose soul is in Djedu, whose dignity is in Nimsu, and the awe of whom is in Abydos. CT 26
I will cause N to see Osiris in Djedu in his dignity of Bull of the West......O Osiris in Djedu. CT 31 (CT 33-35; 37)
"You are the son of the king, the heir, your soul shall indeed exist, so that your heart may be with you and that Anubis may remember you in Djedu. May your soul rejoice in Abydos and your corpse which is in the desert-plateau be glad....." CT 45
Receive oblations in Djedu...." CT 47
"....your soul is established in Djedu" CT 50
Knowing the souls of the new moon, entering into the house of Osiris of Djedu. CT 155
The Followers of Osiris of Djedu CT 156
I have landed from my boat in Iunu, I have tied the mooring-rope in Djedu CT 182
I have stopped up the two apertures (nostrils) in Djedu CT 197
I will dwell in the place where I desire to be; that is Djedu. CT 206
O Great One, owner of nine portions at the head of the Great Ennead, three portions are in Djedu, three in Iunu, and three in the Mansion of the Ibis in the Field of Rushes. CT 215
I rule Djedu, I travel about on its river-banks, I open up its green fields, I make its lotus plants to flourish, I release the wnb-flower, I cultivate emmer..... CT 228
Bull of Djedu CT 239 (241)
"Djedu has been given to N to nourish him...." CT 268
"O Falcon, come to Djedu and go all over my mansion - so says Osiris - that you may see it, this new state(?) which I have attained." CT 303
Osiris speaks: "O Horus, come to Djedu, clear my ways for me, and go all over my mansion, that you may see my form and extol my shape...." CT 312
"Horus is upon his seats and his thrones, and I am he who is in his form. My arms are those of a divine falcon, I am one who has acquired (the position) of his lord, and Horus has invested me with his shape. I come forth to Djedu that I may see Osiris, I land at the Mansion of the Great Dead One; I inspire fear of him and create awe of him among the gods.........I have followed Horus, the Lord of All.....May the mysteries be uncovered for me, may the secret caverns be opened to me, may I enter in to the Lord of Shape, greatly majestic; may I come forth to Djedu and go all over his mansion......." CT 312
"I will grant you oblations in Memphis, [I] will repeat your festivals in Iunu, I will open up for you the paths of the Duat, I will put fear of you in Djedu......" CT 313
"I am Thoth who vindicated Horus against his foes on the day of judgement in the great Prince-mansion which is in Iunu. (I am) a man of Djedu, son of a woman of Djedu; I was conceived in Djedu, I was born in Djedu when I was with the female wailers and mourners for Osiris in the islands of the Twin Children, when Osiris was triumphant over his foes - so says Thoth to the Sun." CT 314
I am the priest of Djedu on the day of raising up what is to be high. I am the prophet of Abydos on the day when the earth is joyful. I am he who sees the secret thing in Rasetjau (r-sTAw). I am he who reads the ritual book of the Ram in Djedet....." CT 314
"......I have put the fear of you in Djedu and your oblations in Memphis, I will repeat your festivals in Abydos...." CT 315
I am his twin souls which are within his two Fledglings. What does it mean? As for his twin souls within his two fledglings, they are Osiris when he entered into Djedu and found the soul of the Sun there, and one embraced the other. Then <they> became his twin souls...... CT 335
note: As for that day of 'Come to me', it means that Osiris said to the Sun, 'Come to me that I may see you' - so said he in the West. I am his twin souls which are within the Two Fledgelings. Who is he? He is Osiris when he entered into Djedet (Ddt, Mendes). He found the soul of the Sun there and they embraced each other. Then his twin souls came into being. ('The Book of Going Forth By Day', Papyrus of Ani, Chap. 17; Pl. 10)
The great tribunal which is in Djedu on that night of the night-offerings. CT 337
The tribunal which is in Djedu on that night of erecting the djed-pillar CT 338
O Thoth, vindicate Osiris against his foes in the tribunal of: Iunu, on that day of the inheriting of the thrones of the Two Banks for the son of the lord therof. Djedu, on that day when the Sacred Eye was given to its lord. CT 339
The mouth of my open nostril is in Djedu, my offerings are in Iunu, this house of mine is built by Seshat, Khnum has sat on its parapets..... CT 355
My bones have been given to me by those in Djedu.... CT 456
He makes spacious my place in Djedu, in Djedet, and in Djedyt.... CT 622
'Open the cavern in order to go forth to Djedu; go and put in order the widing of Andjet for me, set the drag-ropes aright for me.... CT 629
"...while the goods of Osiris are in Djedu...." CT 660
I have divided my lands in Djedu and my green-stuffs in Iunu..... CT 772
"Rasetjau is hidden since he fell there, for he is one who has come down from upon the desert, and he possesses writing materials in Djedu...." CT 1087
Djedu in the New Kingdom 'Book of the Coming Forth by Day' (Papyrus of Ani):
As to 'the Great Council which is at the judging of the dead': they are Thoth, Osiris, Anubis and Isdes. As to 'accounting their dead': it means when the offerings were shut off from the souls of the Children of Weakness. O Thoth, who vindicated Osiris against his enemies, vindicate the Osiris Ani, the vindicated, against his enemies in the presence of the Great Council which is in the hacking up of the earth of Djedu on that night of hacking the earth with their blood and vindicating Osiris against his enemies. As to 'the Great Council which is in the hacking up of the earth of Djedu': it means the arrival of the Gang of Seth when they made their transformation as goats and when they were sacrificed in the presence of these gods, and the blood which dropped from them was captured and was given to those who are counted among the ones of Djedu. (Chap. 18; Pl. 14)
Djedu in the New Kingdom 'Book of the Coming Forth by Day' ('Theban Recension'):
I am mighty and divine upon the birth-stool of Osiris, for I was born with him when he was very young. I uncover those knees of Osiris, I open the mouths of the gods because of them, I sit beside him, and Thoth has gone forth happy with a thousand of bread (and a thouseand of beer) upon my father's altar, with my dappled cattle, long horns, red cattle, geese, and poultry for offering which I gave to Horus and offered to Thoth; my place of slaughter belongs to Him who is over the place of sacrifice. Otherwise said: My place of slaughter belongs to him who is over the place of sacrifice, I am happy and pleased with the altar of my father Osiris. I rule in Djedu, I travel about on its river-banks, I breathe the east wind......" (Chap. 69)
"I have ferried over the Benu-bird to the east, Osiris is in Djedu...." (Chap. 100)
Osiris, Lord of Djedu:
Dyn 6 tomb of Qar, Giza (G7101 M): "A boon which the king gives, and Osiris, Lord of Djedu - Ddw: D46 (d) R11 (Dd) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49 (GM 2, Simpson 1976: 12; fig. 7)
"imakhu before Osiris, lord of Djedu...." (GM 2, Simpson 1976: 26; fig. )
"May the king give an offering and may Osiris, lord of Djedu give an offering: that he proceed, in peace, in peace to the West...." Ddw: R11 (Dd) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49 (GM 6, Roth, : 146; fig. 192)
"Osiris, Foremost of Djedu" Ddw: R11 (Dd) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49 (GM 6, Roth, 1995: 164; fig. 201a)
Dyn 6 mastaba tomb of the vizier Merefnebef, Saqqara:
"(1) An offering which the king gives and an offering which [Anubis], who dwells in the divine tent-shrine, who is in his wrappings, who is on his mountain, lord of the sacred land and of Sepa, gives that he might be buried in the necropolis in the Western Desert, having aged most perfectly, doubly in peace in the sight of the Great God, (as one who has made) the offerings and sought out the state of imakhu, who speaks perfection and who recalls (the day of [?]) burial: the imakhu in the sight of Osiris, he who is in the heart of the king wherever he is, whose great name is Merenebef.
(2) An offering which the king and Osiris, lord of Djedu, give that invocation offerings be made for him in the opening of the year festival, in the festival of Thoth.........and in every daily festival for the breadth of eternity, for the imakhu in the sight of the Great God, in the sight of Ptah, south of his wall, in the sight of Sokar, whose perfect name is Fefi.
"An offering which the king gives and an offering which [Anubis] gives, Foremost-of-the-Divine-Booth, Who-is-in-the-Embalming-Place, Who-is-upon-His-Hill, Lord of the Sacred Land and Sepa, that he may be buried in the necropolis in the Western Desert, after he has become exceedingly old, in peace, in peace, by the great god (as) one who caused peace, one who lived in a state of reverence, one who spoke that which is good and thought of (his) burial, the Osiris, who is in the king's heart in every place, whose great name is Merefnebef.
An offering the king gives, and Osiris, Lord of Djedu..............on every festival, every day, in eternity, for the great god, by Ptah Who-is-South-of-His-Wall........." (http://www.osirisnet.net/mastabas/merefnebef/e_merefnebef_02.htm)
Ddw: R11 (Dd) D46 (d) G43 (w) + 'town' det. O49
Osiris dwelling in Djedu:
Late Dyn 5 or later tomb of Sneferunefer II, Saqqara: "An offering which the [king] and which Osiris, who dwells in Djedu, in all his places....." (Strudwick 2005: 214)
Djedu was also written with two Djed column signs (Dd) + G43 (w) + the 'town' det. O49
Osiris was also linked to Djedit (Ddit), the name of the necropolis of Iunu:
"In your (Osiris) identity of the one of Iunu, enduring in his necropolis (Ddit)" W 152 (PT 219) Sethe Vol 1: 102; §181a.
Here Ddit is written: I10 (D) D46 (d) R11 (Dd) X1 (t) + 'strip of land' det. N18.
One of the first securely attested appearences of the name Osiris, is in the tomb of Ptahshepses (ptH-Spss), dated to no later than the reign of the Dyn 5 king, Niuserra.
His tomb "is as yet the most extensive and architecturally the most most complex non-royal tomb known from the period of the Old Kingdom......The site for Ptahshepses' mastaba was not chosen at random. On the contrary, the site in front of the pyramids of Sahura and Niuserre, and almost precisely equidistant from both, was chosen very deliberately. It was as if the owner and builder of the mastaba had wanted to round off the monumental architectonic composition of all the tombs of the kings and magnates of which he had himself been to a considerable extent the designer. From Ptahshepses' titles it is clear that he was the overseer of all the royal building works of the king." (Verner 2002: 155)
Inscriptions in the tomb complex attest to Ptahshepses' high social status: 'Local Prince'; 'Only Friend (of the king)'; 'Ruler of Nekheb'; 'Guardian of the (royal) Diadem'; 'Privy to the Secret of the House of Morning'; 'Beloved One of his Lord'; 'Chief Justice'; Vizier; 'Overseer of all the Royal Works'; 'Servant of the Throne', 'Lector Priest'; 'Privy to the Secret Writings of the God's Words'.
'Ini' is incorporated into the name of one of his sons, Khafini, and is the personal name given to Niuserra (his throne name) at his birth - hence Niuserra Ini. This implies Ptahshepses was Niuserra's contemporary.
Ptahshepses was priest of Ptah (Hm nTr ptH); priest of xntii iAwt.f (Hm nTr xntii iAwt.f); priest of imi xnt wr; priest of Maat in these places (Hm nTr mAat m swt); priest of Xrii-bAk.f; priest of xntii mdft. He was also a priest in three sun-temples:
Left door jamb of 'false door': Priest of the 'Sun, Horus of the Akhet' in Setibra (Hm nTr ra Hrw Axtii m st-ib-ra); priest of 'Hathor in these places' (Hm nTr HtHr m swt iptn) note: Setibra, sun-temple of Neferikara.
Right door jamb of 'false door': Priest of the 'Sun in Nekhenra' (Hm nTr ra m nxn-ra); priest of the 'Sun in Shezepibra' (Hm nTr ra m Sspw ib ra) note: Nekhenra, sun-temple of Userkaf; Shezepibra, sun-temple of Niuserra.
The name of Osiris (wsir), appears in the first part of the upper line on the lintel: "An offering the king gives, an offering Osiris, Great God, Lord of Maat gives." (Htp di niswt Htp di wsir nTr aA nb mAat)
A similar offering formula that includes the king, Osiris, and the epithets of the god, is found in the tomb of Shed-abed at Saqqara: "An offering the king gives, and Osiris, lord of Busiris, Foremost of the Westerners, Lord of Abydos (that) he may be buried [well(?)] in the necropolis, the count....(that he may ascend to the great god, the treasurer, Shed-abed." On the right jamb: "Inspector of priests of the 'Pyramid of Teti, Most Stable of Places', count, treasurer, sole companion, Shed-abed. Revered under the Great God, Lord of the West, praised of his lord, the count Shed-abed." (JEA 79, El-Sabbahy, 1993: 244)
Both Osiris and his epithet 'Great God' in the inscription of Ptahshepses, have the same determinative, A40 ('seated god').
Dyn 4 kings also had the epithet, 'Great God':
Inscription of Snefru in Wadi Maghara: "Horus Nebmaat, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Two Ladies Nebmaat, the Golden Horus Sneferu. Sneferu the Great God, given all dominion stability, life, and health and all joy forever. Over smiting scene: Subduing the foreign lands." (translation, Strudwick: 2005: 135)
Snefru's Horus name, Horus Nebmaat (Hrw nb mAat), means Horus 'Lord of Maat', and Snefru was the 'Great God'.
An inscription on the bed canopy of Hetepheres, wife of Sneferu and mother of Khufu reads: "Horus, Lord of Maat, the Great God.......Golden Horus Sneferu....." (Reisner / Smith, 1955: 25)
Khufu's name on a cylinder seal (basalt) found at Giza: "The Good God, Lord of the Two Lands, Khufu, the Great God, Horus of Gold, the pyramid town, Akhet." (nTr nfr nb tAwi xwfw nTr aA Hrw n nbw Axt-xwfw)
'Scarabs and Cylinders with Names' Petrie 1915: 11; pl. VIII, 4.2.5
Inscription of Khufu in the Wadi Maghara: "Khnum-khufu, the Great God. Smiting the pillar-people, the Bedouin. May [all] protection and life be behind [him]"
(Lepsius)
The Horus name of Khafra, is inscribed on a silver cylinder seal found in the valley temple of Menkaura: Horus Userib, Great God of .... (Hrw wsr-ib nTr aA), and Horus Userib, Good God...(Reisner 1931: 234; pl. 64, l)
Another example of Osiris, the Great God, is from the late Dyn 5 or early Dyn 6 tomb of Nyhetepptah at Giza: "I am he who has been provided for (imakhu) in the sight of Osiris, the Great God" (Strudwick 2005: 230).
An inscription inside the pyramid of Neferzahor ('The Young One of Horus's Aegis') is another example of Osiris the 'Lord of Maat': "Osiris has appeared (xai), the controlling power has become clean, the lord of Maat (nb mAat) has gone on high at the first (lunar month) of the year (tpi-rnpt), (which is) the year's lord." P 519; PT 577 §1520a; Sethe Vol 2: 323.
Inscriptions in the sun-temple of Niuserra: "...executing work for the two Great Houses of the palace....
Two other tombs dated to the reigns of Niuserra or Djedkara Izezi have mentions of Osiris: tomb of Hotep-Hor-akhet (Htp Hrw Axtii) at Saqqara, in the offering formula, 'an offering Osiris, foremost of Busiris, Lord of Abydos gives' (Htp di wsir xntii Ddw nb AbDw) - Niuserra / early Djedkara Izezi; the tomb of Tii, again in the offering formula (late Niuserra / Djedkara Izezi).
The tomb of Hemetra (Hmt-ra) is in the central
photo, Jon Bodsworth
Dyn 5 tomb of Kaninesuwt (G
The inscription reads: An offering the king and Anubis foremost of the divine booth; an offering Osiris foremost of Djedu gives...... (di nswt Htp inpw xnty sH nTr di wsir xnty Ddw) Ddw: R11 (Dd)
note: as only the sign 'djed-pillar' sign, R11 (Dd), is used, the literal translation is: Osiris, foremost of the djed-pillar, but this may simply be an abbreviated form of Djedu (Ddw).
According to the Papyrus of Ani, Osiris made the gods, and was the vindicated Dual King, Osiris, who founded the Two Lands with his potent deeds, and was Lord of the Two Banks.
"Along with the sun god, in this time of radical change, we catch our first glimpse of the important divine figure of Osiris; his emergence must have immediately followed that of Re." (Hornung 1999 (1992): 32)
"It is crucial that these two gods did not represent alternatives. One could not make a choice between 'solar time' and 'Osirian time' as perhaps, according to Nietzche's (and perhaps even the ancient Greek) conception, one could lead either an Apollonian or Dionysian existence. Or, if the notion of 'decision' seems inappropriate, no one could be destined to be born into one or the other forms of time. Rather, Re and Osiris - apparently unlike Apollo and Dionysius - formed a constellation. They were what they were only in relation to one another. Only the two together yielded reality, and it was only their combined effect that gave rise to the complex of neheh and djet that humankind experienced as 'time': a periodically consummated union of the two aspects, change and completion, from which reality proceeded as a sort of continuity of the life of the cosmos. The Egyptians thus conceived of time as a combination of 'solar time' and 'Osirian time' that had its origins in the active combined effectiveness of the two gods." (Assmann 2001: 78-79)
O great god whose identity is unknown W 165 (T) PT 254; Sethe Vol 1: §276c
Osiris, lord of the sky
The king came to Osiris, 'Lord of the Sky' P 327 (PT 477) Sethe Vol 2: 40, 41 §966 - 968
Dyn 6 mastaba tomb of Merefnebef: Tjeset, mother of the vizier, kneels at her son's feet, with the accompanying text: "His mother honoured by Anubis, Tjeset.....His mother honoured by Osiris, lord of the sky, Tjeset."
Dyn 6 tomb of Qar (G 7101 M): "A boon which the king gives and Osiris, Lord of Djedu, to the overseer of the residence, he who is at the head of the king, the one well-provided (imakhu) with the great god, lord of the sky, Qar." (Htp di nswt wsir nb Ddw n imy-r xnw Xry tp nswt imAxw xr nTr aA nb pt qAr) (: 11-12)
This Pepi will shine in the east like the Sun and proceed into the west like the Beetle. This Pepi will live on what Horus, lord of the sky lives on, by command of Horus, lord of the sky. P 318 (PT 467) Sethe Vol 1: 495; §888c.
Osiris, the Great God:
In the earliest secure mention of Osiris, Osiris is 'Great God' (nTr aA), 'Lord of Maat' (nb mAat):
Dyn 5 tomb of Ptahshepses: "An offering the king gives, an offering Osiris, the Great God, lord of Maat gives." (....wsir nTr aA nb mAat)
Late Dyn 5 / early Dyn 6 tomb of Nyhetepptah: "I am imakhu in the sight of Osiris, the Great God." (Strudwick 2005: 230)
Mid Dyn 6 tomb of Meryrenefer: The imakhu in the sight of the great god, in the sight of Osiris, Lord of Djedju..... (Strudwick 2005: 342)
Dyn 6 Pyramid Text of Pepi: "Osiris has appeared (xai), the controlling power has become clean, the lord of Maat (nb mAat) has gone on high at the first (lunar month) of the year (tpi-rnpt), (which is) the year's lord." P 519 (PT 577 §1520)
Osiris, lord of Maat:
Osiris has appeared, the controlling power has become clean, the lord of Maat has gone on high at the first (lunar month) of the year, (which is) the year's lord. P 519; PT 577; Sethe Vol 2: 323 §1520ab
Osiris the Sun?:
Pepi is your seed, Osiris, which is sharp in your identity, (O seed), of Horus in the Great Green, Horus at the fore of the akhs.........Meryra is your seed, Sun, which is sharp in your identity, (O seed), of Horus at the fore of the akhs, the 'star that crosses the Great Green' (sbA DAi wAD-wr) P 518; PT 576; Sethe Vol 2: 319 §1505ab and §1508bc