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The Osirion is one of the most intriguing New Kingdom monuments. It is located behind the Sety I temple at Abydos, the burial place of Osiris. Now open to the sky, this unique structure was originally subterranean, built to resemble a royal tomb, and forms a cenotaph for Sety as Osiris. Compared to the temple, the Osirion has a stark and monumental appearance. At the centre is a hall of pillars made from massive granite blocks. The pillars surround a channel of water with a central island that may symbolise the first land emerging from the primeval waters of chaos. Inscriptions inside the Osirion (which were completed by Merenptah) include a complete set of the Book of Gates and the Book of Caverns, depicting the sun’s journey through the underworld before rising again at dawn, reinforcing the theme of rebirth and resurrection for the king and his god.
Image: Karl Harris
