Isis
Osiris's divine sister
Isis is the ancient Egyptian goddess of magic, motherhood, and fertility, one of the most important deities in Egyptian mythology.
She was worshipped for thousands of years and her cult spread throughout the Roman Empire.
In modern usage, ISIS (often written in all caps) refers to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a violent jihadist militant group that emerged in the 2010s and seized territory across the Middle East.
The acronym's collision with the goddess's name has made the ancient name awkward in contemporary contexts.
The temple of Isis at Philae versus ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. (The acronym is also written ISIL or simply Islamic State.)
Of or like mothers
- nurturingSupportive care-giving
- fertilityCapacity for reproduction
- nursingMedical caretaking profession
- sucklingUnweaned infant mammal
caregiver · nourishment · tenderness · devotion · Queen of Heaven · divine mother · throne · wings
Egyptian afterlife deity
- HorusEgyptian sky deity
- AnubisEgyptian mortuary deity
- SethHebrew name, "appointed"
- ThothEgyptian god of wisdom
Ra · Hathor · Amun-Ra · pantheon · deity · divinity · worship · temple
Africa's longest river
- pyramidsApex-topped geometric solids
- pharaohAncient Egyptian ruler
- hieroglyphicsSymbolic picture-based writing
- papyrusAncient plant-derived writing material
sarcophagus · mummification · Giza · Luxor · Thebes · Memphis · Sphinx · scarab
Traditional untrue narratives
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
- ancientVery old indeed
- resurrectionRevival from death
- dismembermentRemoval of limbs
reassembly · searching · mourning · Hellenistic · Roman · mystery cults · syncretism · Greco-Roman
Performing magical incantations
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- amuletWorn protective token
- protectionGuarding against harm
healing · grimoire · occult · arcane · mysticism · thaumaturgy · conjuring · charms
maternal
Of or like mothers
- nurturingSupportive care-giving
- fertilityCapacity for reproduction
- nursingMedical caretaking profession
suckling · caregiver · nourishment · tenderness · devotion · Queen of Heaven · divine mother · throne · wings · embrace
Osiris
Egyptian afterlife deity
Thoth · Ra · Hathor · Amun-Ra · pantheon · deity · divinity · worship · temple · priestess
Nile
Africa's longest river
- pyramidsApex-topped geometric solids
- pharaohAncient Egyptian ruler
- hieroglyphicsSymbolic picture-based writing
papyrus · sarcophagus · mummification · Giza · Luxor · Thebes · Memphis · Sphinx · scarab · Cleopatra
myths
Traditional untrue narratives
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
- ancientVery old indeed
- resurrectionRevival from death
dismemberment · reassembly · searching · mourning · Hellenistic · Roman · mystery cults · syncretism · Greco-Roman
spellcasting
Performing magical incantations
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- amuletWorn protective token
protection · healing · grimoire · occult · arcane · mysticism · thaumaturgy · conjuring · charms · supernatural