Timeless source of inspiration: The moon in relics (3)

Statue of Osiris-Iah, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sculpted in bronze, this statue represents Osiris, an ancient Egyptian deity linked to the moon, and was produced during the period of 664-332 B.C. In this statue, the Osiris figure is seated with a moon crown – the moon disk resting on the crescent moon – above his head. The figure conforms to the standard iconography for Osiris.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Osiris is the god of the deceased, and changes of the moon recall his continual rebirth and regeneration. That’s why his crown encompasses the moon in all of its phases.