There is a most interesting inscription on an artifact known as the Inventory Stela from the Giza Plateau.
It has caused a lot of excitement, especially among those who believe that the Sphinx and Pyramids are older than the fourth dynasty period to which Egyptologists usually attribute their construction.
You’ll immediately see why I was interested. Here’s what it says according to the great Egyptologist Gaston Maspero’s translation of the stele:
Live Horus the Mezer, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu, given life. He made for his mother Isis, the Divine Mother, Mistress of the Western Mountain [that is, the necropolis], a decree made on a stela, he gave to Her a divine offering, and he built Her a temple of stone, renewing what he had found, namely the Gods in Her place.
Live Horus, the Mezer, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu, given life. He found the House of Isis, Mistress of the Pyramid, by the side of the cavity of the Sphinx, on the northwest side of the House of Osiris, Lord of Rostaw, and he built his pyramid beside the temple of this Goddess, and he built a pyramid for the King’s Daughter, Henut-sen, beside this temple. The place of Hwran-Hor-em-akhet [that is, the Sphinx] is on the south of the House of Isis, Mistress of the Pyramid, and on the north of Osiris, Lord of Rostaw. The plans of the Image of Hor-em-akhet were brought in order to bring to revision the sayings of the disposition of the Image of the Very Redoubtable. He restored the statue all covered in painting, of the Guardian of the Atmosphere, who guides the winds with his gaze.
Isis protecting Osiris
He made to quarry the hind part of the nemes headdress, which was lacking, from gilded stone, and which had a length of about 7 ells [3.7 metres]. He came to make a tour, in order to see the thunderbolt, which stands in the Place of the Sycamore, so named because of a great sycamore, whose branches were struck when the Lord of Heaven descended upon the place of Hor-em-akhet, and also this image, retracing the erasure according to the above-mentioned disposition, which is written {…} of all the animals killed at Rostaw. It is a table for the vases full of these animals which, except for the thighs, were eaten nears these seven gods, demanding {…} (The God gave) the thought in his heart, of putting a written decree on the side of this Sphinx, in an hour of the night. [That is, the pharaoh had a dream from the Sphinx that he should do this.] The figure of this God, being cut in stone, is solid, and will exist to eternity, having always its face regarding the Orient.
The rest of the stele is taken up with a list of the sacred images of the Deities that Khufu restored within the Temple of Isis. The largest part of the stele is an inventory of these images, which is why it is known as “the Inventory Stele.”
Pretty cool, huh?
The Temple of Isis at Giza
What excites me, of course, is the Temple of Isis reference and the title “Mistress of the Pyramid.” What excites most of those who get excited is that the stele—supposed to have been carved by Khufu’s fourth-dynasty sculptors on the king’s orders—says that the Sphinx was already there! What’s more, apparently the little Temple of Isis was there even before Khufu built his Great Pyramid.
Alas, most Egyptologists agree that the stele is an archaized work, probably created sometime between the 25th and 26th dynasties, during a period when Nubian kings were trying to revitalize Egypt by harking back to its Old Kingdom glory days. The style of art and writing point most clearly to the 26th dynasty. Key to the evidence is that we have no reference to “Hwran” and “Hor-em-akhet” as names for the Sphinx until the 18th dynasty.
As for the Temple of Isis, it was originally a funerary chapel associated with the pyramid of Henutsen, Khufu’s half sister or, as the Inventory Stele says, “king’s daughter.” It was “found” by the pharaoh Pasebekhanu in the 21st dynasty and either converted into a small Temple of Isis at that time or, because the pharaoh either had or believed he had found the remains of an earlier Isis temple, had it refurbished as one. There Isis was worshipped as Lady of the Pyramid (or perhaps, Pyramids) until the Roman period. We even have evidence that Her cult had its own priesthood.
The Giza big three
Prior to the Inventory Stele, we find Isis on a Giza stele of Prince Amenomopet, a prince of the 18th dynasty. She is found on the so-called Stele C found in the Sphinx Temple and which shows the Sphinx and Isis, wearing the Horns and Disk Crown and within a shrine, receiving offerings from the prince. The image is captioned, “Isis, the Great, the Divine Mother, Queen of the Gods, One in Heaven, Who Has No Equal, the Elder [daughter of] Atum.” Dating on the stele is controversial (so what else is new in Egyptology?), but if the 18th dynasty is accurate, then Isis and the Sphinx are being worshipped together at Giza by at least that time.
After this period, we have a number of other Giza inscriptions that include Isis. Some that list Her with other Deities, notably Osiris and Horus, some that indicate that She was being worshipped alone. So it would seem that there was an active cult of Isis at Giza from at least the 18th dynasty. There is also evidence of private devotion at the Temple of Isis; a number of votive plaques have been found there as well. (By the way, all of this has been gathered together by Christiane M. Zivie-Coche in her book Giza Au Premier Millenaire Autour du Temple D’Isis, Dames des Pyramides; I’m struggling through the French, so bear with me.)
We also have several fragments of columns, probably from the Ramessid era, but which were reused in the Third Intermediate Period by Pharaoh Amenemope, on which the king offers wine to Osiris and Isis, Who is identified specifically as Lady of the Pyramids. Because the column was reused, we can’t be sure whether that epithet goes back to the Ramessid period or only began being used in the 21st dynasty. But from then on, one of the Goddess’ epithets is Mistress or Lady of the Pyramids, which likely refers to Her function of protecting the pyramids and the Osiris-kings in them, and surely to Her power to safeguard their rebirths as well.
Another view of the Giza Temple of Isis
Interestingly, a graffito on Henutsen’s pyramid from (probably) Egypt’s late period says that the pyramid is the burial place of Isis. Oriented to the south, it faced the symbolic burial place of Osiris, Lord of Rostaw.
Much later, in the mid 1500s, writer André Thévet (Cosmographie de Levant, 1556) continued the tradition of Isis with the Sphinx writing that the Sphinx has “the head of a colossus, caused to be made by Isis, daughter of Inachus, then so beloved of Jupiter”. (This refers to the Isis-Io connection; Io is the daughter of Inachus, the River God. Zeus fell in love with Io. You can read the whole story here.)
I’ve never been much interested in pyramids or mummies or pharoahs. It was always the Deities for me. Guess that’s why I missed this epithet of Isis previously. Just goes to show, there’s always something new to learn about Her.
Hello Priestess, thank you for that very interesting post. I am enamoured of the fact that their is evidence that the Goddess was worshipped alone in the 18th dynasty and in my heart I want to believe that perhaps Giza was a sacred place for Her stretching back to the 4th. Why would it not be! Isis bless you for your enquiring and perceptive mind.
Not sure exactly what you’re asking? She is here, She never left.
you are talking about an eternal spirit of love, death and rebirth, whose ghost haunts the well of the feminine divine, whose whisper weeps in the wires and leaps into lightning by heart.
i am talking about the soul whose name is Isis.
this creature has fears, vulnerabilities, a voice. the one who bleeds into blossoms, needs no buyer, no fire of desire for the sapphire seeds, heeds no hire supplier of sorrow by swan, in the dishwater darkness of deeds to the dawn
these are not the same thing.
the one i mean has memories, music, mania.
the one i mean has hips.
do you think you would know the Isis of which i speak?
i am very curious about your answer and whether you will actually answer the question i asked.
i love your power in the smoldering tower of tears.
the alchemy of love requires such rare roots and fruits and flowers that flicker to flutes.
your verse is my veil.
What lovely, poetical words.
So, it seems you are talking about an incarnated Isis. From time to time, this blog hears from people who either are that being or know who that being is.
The ancient Egyptians had an interesting and complicated relationship with incarnate divinity. Generally, it was just the pharaoh who was considered a living Deity, and then only when specifically acting in that power. Priestesses and priests might embody Deities in a ritual context, as we still can. And the justified dead could also become divinized.
For me, the presence of Goddess Isis/Iset comes with a specific set of “tells,” which are particular to my relationship with Her. That’s how I would recognize Her. Whether I would recognize Her in the incarnation you’re talking about, I simply cannot know.
how about this: you engage me in a more private email exchange and i promise to make things clear. Riddles bore me. And attention scares me before I want it. I am not a psychosis queen, but an anomaly with a name. you should be able to easily know me, you who remember my whisper three times. i call, honey.
Ah, I don’t think this is for me, but I wish you many blessings Under Her Wings.
Hi! What is the origin of the photo labeled “The Temple of Isis at Giza”? Is it copyrighted? I am looking for a picture like this to use in a novel I am writing. Thanks or the interesting article!
I’m sure it was just an internet find…but I did some digging and it might have come from Harvard’s Digital Giza project. I’m also checking another avenue. Will let you know if I learn anything.
I checked on that other avenue, but no luck. Not their photo. Best guess is Harvard’s Digital Giza. Good luck!
Just wondering if the author, Isidora, is familiar with Edgar Cayce? He is termed “America’s Sleeping Prophet” and channeled information from spirit sources during sleep for the people he gave readings for? I ask because Cayce had mentioned a curious thing about the Temple of Isis in relation to the location of the Spinx in Egypt. Specifically, in reading 195-14, he states:
“The excavations were made for the [Sphinx] in the plains above where the temple of Isis had stood during the deluge…”
There are other hints I have read that the Sphinx (which is much older than the Pyramids at Gizeh) was itself build upon a much older and sacred temple or site.
If interested, here is the full context of the Q & A that was part of a reading Cayce channeled (while sleeping) from the spirit world for this person:
Q-In what capacity did this entity act regarding the building of the sphinx?
A-As the monuments were being rebuilt in the plains of that now called the pyramid of Gizeh, this entity builded, laid, the foundations; that is, superin- tended same, figured out the geometrical position of same in relation to those buildings as were put up of that connecting the sphinx. And the data concerning same may be found in the vaults in the base of the sphinx. We see this sphinx was builded as this:
The excavations were made for same in the plains above where the temple of Isis had stood during the deluge, occurring some centuries before, when this people (and this entity among them) came in from the north country and took possession of the rule of this country, setting up the first dynasty. The entity was with that dynasty, also in the second dynasty of Araaraart, when those buildings were begun. The base of the sphinx was laid out in channels, and in the corner fac- ing the Gizeh may be found the wording of how this was founded, giving the history of the first invading ruler and the ascension of Araaraart.
Yes! I am originally from Virginia, so Edgar Cayce is definitely in my consciousness, though his work is not my path. Very interesting! I know that psychics were surprisingly successful in finding Arthurian sites in Britain. So I find this very interesting! Thanks for sharing.
One book I would recommend to anyone who may have doubts about Edgar Cayce is to read the wonderful book by the highly regarded author Stephen Kirkpatrick. He was originally approached to write a biography on EC but was very skeptical at first. He was unsure about the claims made about Cayce and did not want to potentially sully his good name by writing such a project. But the more he researched and dig deep, the more he realized Cayce was the real deal.
He gave readings to scientists, inventors, presidents, celebrities, and endless everyday people for 40 years. Many of those readings changed the fields of science and medicine, providing specific details of things not yet known or discovered. And the topics he channeled he had no prior training or study of. It’s definitely worth your time and may enhance your spiritual world view. Among many other fascinating topics, Cayce’s readings talk much about ancient Egypt.
A second book I would recommend, after reading the one above, would be “The Edgar Cayce Companion.” It has 40 years of Cayce’s readings >organized by topic< and should be considered a national treasure. It too can be read or downloaded online for free here: https://epdf.pub/the-edgar-cayce-companion-a-comprehensive-treatise-of-the-edgar-cayce-readings.html
(Note: Unfortunately, the online downloadable PDF of this book doesn't have the full index from the back, which provides a great cross-reference for terms and topics that appear throughout the book, but its still a wonderful resource.)
If you are not ready now to absorb any of this info, I would suggest just downloading the PDFs and filing them away for some other time. I regard the material just as profoundly as some revered the Bible.
Isiopolis 
Hello Priestess, thank you for that very interesting post. I am enamoured of the fact that their is evidence that the Goddess was worshipped alone in the 18th dynasty and in my heart I want to believe that perhaps Giza was a sacred place for Her stretching back to the 4th. Why would it not be! Isis bless you for your enquiring and perceptive mind.
do you think you would know Isis if she came?
Not sure exactly what you’re asking? She is here, She never left.
you are talking about an eternal spirit of love, death and rebirth, whose ghost haunts the well of the feminine divine, whose whisper weeps in the wires and leaps into lightning by heart.
i am talking about the soul whose name is Isis.
this creature has fears, vulnerabilities, a voice. the one who bleeds into blossoms, needs no buyer, no fire of desire for the sapphire seeds, heeds no hire supplier of sorrow by swan, in the dishwater darkness of deeds to the dawn
these are not the same thing.
the one i mean has memories, music, mania.
the one i mean has hips.
do you think you would know the Isis of which i speak?
i am very curious about your answer and whether you will actually answer the question i asked.
i love your power in the smoldering tower of tears.
the alchemy of love requires such rare roots and fruits and flowers that flicker to flutes.
your verse is my veil.
What lovely, poetical words.
So, it seems you are talking about an incarnated Isis. From time to time, this blog hears from people who either are that being or know who that being is.
The ancient Egyptians had an interesting and complicated relationship with incarnate divinity. Generally, it was just the pharaoh who was considered a living Deity, and then only when specifically acting in that power. Priestesses and priests might embody Deities in a ritual context, as we still can. And the justified dead could also become divinized.
For me, the presence of Goddess Isis/Iset comes with a specific set of “tells,” which are particular to my relationship with Her. That’s how I would recognize Her. Whether I would recognize Her in the incarnation you’re talking about, I simply cannot know.
how about this: you engage me in a more private email exchange and i promise to make things clear. Riddles bore me. And attention scares me before I want it. I am not a psychosis queen, but an anomaly with a name. you should be able to easily know me, you who remember my whisper three times. i call, honey.
Ah, I don’t think this is for me, but I wish you many blessings Under Her Wings.
can you give me more imfo.
What exactly are you looking for?
you did not answer my request
Yes, it is true that I did not answer your request within 24 hours.
Hi! What is the origin of the photo labeled “The Temple of Isis at Giza”? Is it copyrighted? I am looking for a picture like this to use in a novel I am writing. Thanks or the interesting article!
I’m sure it was just an internet find…but I did some digging and it might have come from Harvard’s Digital Giza project. I’m also checking another avenue. Will let you know if I learn anything.
I checked on that other avenue, but no luck. Not their photo. Best guess is Harvard’s Digital Giza. Good luck!
Just wondering if the author, Isidora, is familiar with Edgar Cayce? He is termed “America’s Sleeping Prophet” and channeled information from spirit sources during sleep for the people he gave readings for? I ask because Cayce had mentioned a curious thing about the Temple of Isis in relation to the location of the Spinx in Egypt. Specifically, in reading 195-14, he states:
“The excavations were made for the [Sphinx] in the plains above where the temple of Isis had stood during the deluge…”
There are other hints I have read that the Sphinx (which is much older than the Pyramids at Gizeh) was itself build upon a much older and sacred temple or site.
If interested, here is the full context of the Q & A that was part of a reading Cayce channeled (while sleeping) from the spirit world for this person:
Q-In what capacity did this entity act regarding the building of the sphinx?
A-As the monuments were being rebuilt in the plains of that now called the pyramid of Gizeh, this entity builded, laid, the foundations; that is, superin- tended same, figured out the geometrical position of same in relation to those buildings as were put up of that connecting the sphinx. And the data concerning same may be found in the vaults in the base of the sphinx. We see this sphinx was builded as this:
The excavations were made for same in the plains above where the temple of Isis had stood during the deluge, occurring some centuries before, when this people (and this entity among them) came in from the north country and took possession of the rule of this country, setting up the first dynasty. The entity was with that dynasty, also in the second dynasty of Araaraart, when those buildings were begun. The base of the sphinx was laid out in channels, and in the corner fac- ing the Gizeh may be found the wording of how this was founded, giving the history of the first invading ruler and the ascension of Araaraart.
Yes! I am originally from Virginia, so Edgar Cayce is definitely in my consciousness, though his work is not my path. Very interesting! I know that psychics were surprisingly successful in finding Arthurian sites in Britain. So I find this very interesting! Thanks for sharing.
One book I would recommend to anyone who may have doubts about Edgar Cayce is to read the wonderful book by the highly regarded author Stephen Kirkpatrick. He was originally approached to write a biography on EC but was very skeptical at first. He was unsure about the claims made about Cayce and did not want to potentially sully his good name by writing such a project. But the more he researched and dig deep, the more he realized Cayce was the real deal.
The book is called “Edgar Cayce: An American Prophet” and you can read it online or download the book in PDF form for free here:
https://archive.org/details/edgar-cayce-an-american-prophet
He gave readings to scientists, inventors, presidents, celebrities, and endless everyday people for 40 years. Many of those readings changed the fields of science and medicine, providing specific details of things not yet known or discovered. And the topics he channeled he had no prior training or study of. It’s definitely worth your time and may enhance your spiritual world view. Among many other fascinating topics, Cayce’s readings talk much about ancient Egypt.
A second book I would recommend, after reading the one above, would be “The Edgar Cayce Companion.” It has 40 years of Cayce’s readings >organized by topic< and should be considered a national treasure. It too can be read or downloaded online for free here:
https://epdf.pub/the-edgar-cayce-companion-a-comprehensive-treatise-of-the-edgar-cayce-readings.html
(Note: Unfortunately, the online downloadable PDF of this book doesn't have the full index from the back, which provides a great cross-reference for terms and topics that appear throughout the book, but its still a wonderful resource.)
If you are not ready now to absorb any of this info, I would suggest just downloading the PDFs and filing them away for some other time. I regard the material just as profoundly as some revered the Bible.
Cheers!