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 Investigating Ancient Myths
The Legend of the First Mummy
The Field Museum holds an extensive collection of mummies that come from many periods in Egypt’s long history. The concept of mummification is an ancient one that can be traced back to one of the earliest legends about the god Osiris. Lord of the Underworld, Osiris was said to have become the first mummy. There are many versions of his story, but the Greek writer Plutarch (46- 119AD) recounts one of the most popular:
“Osiris was the god of the Underworld. Osiris’ evil brother Seth—god of the desert—became envious because the sun god, Re, made Osiris his heir. So Seth tricked Osiris into lying down in a beautifully made box, and slammed the box shut. Seth tossed this box into the Nile.
Isis, Osiris’ sister and wife, was angry and grief-stricken, and she went in search of her husband’s body. She eventually found her dead husband, and through magic, she was able to become pregnant and bear a son.
 Eventually, the evil Seth discovered Isis’ hiding place, and tore Osiris’ body into fourteen pieces and scattered them throughout Egypt.
However, Isis looked again for her husband and gathered all his body parts—except for his phallus, which regrettably had been eaten by a crab. Isis recreated his phallus from clay to complete his body.
Isis bandaged all his body parts together, anointed it with precious oils, and restored Osiris to eternal life. Thus, it is Isis that created the first mummy.”
Continue to A Vision of the Afterlife. >>
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