According to Greco-Egyptian myth, Seth, the Egyptian god of chaos, murdered his brother Osiris and scattered pieces of the corpse over Egypt. Isis, the sister-wife of Osiris, and other gods such as Anubis and Thoth searched for and recovered the pieces, magically resurrecting the slain Osiris. Osiris then reigned as god of the Underworld and judge of the dead.
Cult adherents would create a statue of Osiris and scatter its pieces about. They would then search for the pieces, wailing loudly in imitation of the lamentations of Isis. On the last day the statue would be reassembled, and a joyous procession celebrated the resurrection of Osiris.
The cult had adherents throughout the port towns of the Roman Empire. Its colorful, emotional rites were derided by Roman conservatives and mocked by Roman literati. But it nonetheless remained one of the most popular pagan cults and a rival to Christianity.
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