The cult of Osiris is as old as Dynastic Egyptian civilization, and, from the earliest to the latest times, he was regarded as the god-man who suffered, died, rose again, and reigned eternally in heaven. He was the “King of eternity, lord of the everlastingness, the prince of gods and men, the god of gods, king of kings, lord of lords, prince of princes, the governor of the world, whose existence is everlasting” (Papyrus of Ani, Plate I). To the Egyptians Osiris was the god who “made men and women to be born again,” 𓄠𓋴𓏏𓐰𓍃𓰮𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏪𓰮𓄙𓰮, who made them to rise from the dead, and bestowed upon them everlasting life; he was, in all times, the cause of their resurrection, and was also the =resurrection= itself. He was both god and man, and could sympathize with them in sickness and death, and the idea of his human personality brought them comfort. The confidence with which men looked to him as a being who knew neither decay nor corruption is best expressed in the words of a text on coffin No. 22,940 (Wall-case No. 40, First Egyptian Room). “Homage to thee, O my father Osiris! Thy flesh suffered no decay, worms touched thee not, thou didst not moulder away, withering came not on thee, and thou didst not suffer corruption; and I shall possess my flesh for ever and ever, I shall not crumble away, I shall not wither, I shall not become corruption.” The =Kingdom of Osiris= was situated in Sekhet-ḥetep 𓇏𓏏𓐰𓏭𓈇𓐰𓏤𓊵𓐰𓏏𓐱𓊪𓊖, _i.e._, the “Field of Peace,” a division of Sekhet-Ȧaru, or the “Field of Reeds.” From the pictures of this region given in papyri we see that it was surrounded by a stream of water, and intersected by numerous canals, and, judging by the descriptions given in these pictures, it must have been considered to be a very fertile place. The wheat and the barley there grew to a great height, and plants, vegetables, and fruit trees abounded. The idea of the Sekhet-ḥetep was no doubt suggested by the fertile regions of the Delta and the Oases in the Western Desert. [Illustration: Osiris in his shrine.] [Illustration: Thoth in the form of an ape weighing the heart in the presence of Osiris.] [Illustration: The goddess Maāt weighing the heart in the presence of the ape of Thoth. By her side is the Eater of the Dead.] [Illustration: The Judgment of Osiris, from the Book of Gates. =A= Osiris seated on a throne with nine steps. =B= The scales in which the hearts of the dead were weighed. =C= The pig, symbol of evil, in a boat under the charge of an ape, the companion of Thoth. =D= Anubis, the god of the tomb. =E= Heads of gazelle, typical of the enemies of Osiris.]