Isis was one of the main deities in ancient Egyptian religion, whose worship later spread widely throughout the Greek and Roman worlds.

She was first mentioned during the Old Kingdom of Egypt (2686–2181 BCE) as a central figure in the myth of Osiris — the divine king who was murdered and resurrected. Isis brought her husband Osiris back to life and gave birth to their son Horus, whom she fiercely protected and raised.

In Egyptian belief, Isis guided the souls of the dead to the afterlife, just as she had helped Osiris, and she was seen as the divine mother of the pharaoh, who was considered the earthly embodiment of Horus. Her maternal and healing powers were invoked in magical spells and protective charms used by ordinary people.

Originally, Isis had a modest role in royal hymns and temple rituals, but over time she became a major figure in funerary and magical traditions.

In Egyptian art, she was usually depicted as a woman wearing a throne-shaped crown on her head. During the New Kingdom, she also adopted many of the attributes of Hathor, another prominent goddess — often shown wearing Hathor’s headdress with a solar disk framed by cow horns, symbolizing motherhood, protection, and divine power.