Aset/Isis in the Ancient Texts

The existence of Aset in ancient Kemetic religion and practice, textually speaking, can not yet cannot be authoritatively stated. Henri Frankfort (_Kingship in the Ancient Near East_)and Toby Wilkinson (_Early Dynastic Egypt_) both cite Petrie's work on the Royal Tombs of the Earliest Dynasties as some possible indication that Aset existed by the first two dynasties. Petrie indicates that the name of Isis appears found as part of a "son of Isis" title on a sealing of King Peribsen from the Second Dynasty, but this is not yet considered incontrovertible proof of reference to Aset.

Aset appears first and most certain in many of the Pyramid Texts, which date to the Fifth Dynasty. In particular, Utterance 600 gives the Heliopolitan version of Creation, with Aset being sister to Wesir, Set and Nebt-Het. This fact seems to present at least the speculation that these deities were known and worshiped in some way by this time, if not earlier. 

Aset also appears in some hymns that date from the Old and New Kingdoms. See below.

The Religious Literature

There are many textual references to Aset/Isis throughout dynastic history, in religious inscriptions in various temples, chapels and tombs, in poems and hymns, and in stories which were based upon the religious tradition but which may have been written for entertainment. Her earliest appearance in the religious tradition dates to the Old Kingdom, in the Pyramid Texts. The goddess also appears in the Middle Kingdom Coffin Texts and in the Book of the Going Forth by Day, or the Book of the Dead, in the New Kingdom.

The Pyramid Texts were inscribed within the funerary tomb pyramids of kings and queens during the 5th and 6th Dynasties of the Old Kingdom.  As Her references within the Pyramid Texts indicate, since that time, the divine persona of the goddess Aset/Isis  has been linked with the Throne, the King and Kingship, Revival of the deceased King to ascend to the stars or to Ra. Aset/Isis was Mistress of Heaven, Queen of the gods, Daughter of Ra, and co-ruler over the people of Egypt with Her husband Wesir/Osiris before His death.  

The Coffin Texts were derived from the Pyramid Texts, though more expanded, and were written on papyri and on the actual coffins of the nobles and other private persons. The Book of the Dead contained spells that were derived further from the Coffin Texts, while expanding upon them.

Why Aset/Isis in a funerary connection?

Why did Aset/Isis appear in what amounted to funerary literature? She is credited with preparing Her dead husband Osiris/Wesir for burial (in fact, winding him in linens and thus making him the first mummy), and with helping prepare and guide the deceased king into the afterlife, ruled over by Osiris. Aset/Isis also revived Her husband Osiris/Wesir, before his journey to the underworld to become its lord, with sufficient life to make Her pregnant, so that She could bear their son, Horus/Heru. Aset/Isis is thus appropriately linked to the funerary preparations. 

But in the earliest of these texts, the Pyramid Texts, the goddess Aset/Isis is also shown as part of the great Ennead, the Pesedjet, the earliest gods in the sequence of Creation. In both the Pyramid and the Coffin Texts, She is seen as the mother of Horus, and thus of the king. In both the Coffin Texts and the Book of the Dead, She is seen as having great Magic for protection.

When Aset became Isis, She later took on a more narrow focus as a Mother Goddess and patroness of wedded fidelity, and so she seems to remain today in consciousness. Powerful aspects to be sure, but depriving Her somehow of Her original worship and purpose as a deity.

Copyright 2002 by Khenmetaset/Marie Parsons. All rights reserved. This information is given for educational purposes only and sources are cited where appropriate.

See Archaeological Evidence of Aset