Isis was a major goddess in the ancient Egyptian religion, whose worship later spread throughout the Greco-Roman world.

Isis was first mentioned during the Old Kingdom of Egypt (2686–2181 B.C.) as one of the main figures in the myth of Osiris. She revived her slain divine husband, Osiris, gave birth to their heir Horus, and protected him.

It was believed that Isis guided the dead to the afterlife, just as she had helped Osiris. She was also regarded as the divine mother of the pharaoh, who was identified with her son Horus.

Her maternal role was expressed through healing spells that helped ordinary people.

Originally, Isis played a minor role in royal hymns and temple rituals, but she became far more important in funerary rites and magical texts.

In art, she was usually depicted as a human woman wearing a throne-shaped crown on her head.

During the New Kingdom, she adopted many of the attributes of Hathor, the previously dominant goddess, and came to be portrayed wearing Hathor’s attire, with a solar disk between cow horns on her head — just as Hathor had once been represented.

Hathor was the goddess of the sky, love, beauty, motherhood, happiness, music, and fertility.

She was originally called Bat in ancient times and was depicted on the Narmer Palette. She was symbolized by the sacred cow, representing nurturing and protection.

Her worship was centered between the city of Hermopolis (near modern-day Al-Ashmunayn, close to Fayoum) and Abydos (near Sohag).

Hathor was one of the most beloved and widely venerated deities in ancient Egypt.