Although the Egyptian sources equate the det king with several deities, there is a clea. constant emphasis throughout most of Eg;, history on the association of the king with thi erworld god Osiris. This was doubtless becau.-role of kingship fitted the Osiride mythology ularly well. Every pharaoh ceased to function earthly Horus - and son of Osiris - upon dea: was identified by virtue of death with the da Osiris. He thus stood as predecessor in rela: the next living king as the mythical Osiris Horus. According to this symbolic metaphi becoming one with Osiris the dead king became ruler of the afterlife region - swii realms, as it were, from rule over the living : over the dead.
As time progressed royal mortuary iconog; was increasingly adapted to this equation dead king with Osiris. We find this manifes dozens of ways. Osiride insignia such as the and flail were placed on New Kingdom royal c< showing continued afterlife rulership with despite the absence of an earthly crown in the afterlife representations. Also, the figures ; and Nephthys were placed at either end of the
Scene of Re-Horakhty (at right) greeted by Merenptah symbolizing the afterlife joining of the king and the solar god. Tomb of Merenptah, 19th dynasty. Valley of the Kings, western Thebes.
Iffin or sarcophagus to fulfil the role of mourning ¦r the deceased Osiris. The decoration of the royal mbs of the New Kingdom also stresses the fusion the deceased king and Osiris, though to a large '.rent this is overshadowed by the symbolic associ-hon of the king with the sun god Re. However, me scenes, such as those found on the side walls nd tympana of the 19th-dynasty royal burial lambers, focus on the fusion of Osiris (who came be viewed as the mummy or corpse of Re at this me), the sun god, and the king.
World History
