Sah

Orion in the Egyptian Sky

The constellation we call Orion was known to the ancient Egyptians as Sah. Sah appears repeatedly in Egyptian records of the sky. Ramesside star clocks list Sah among constellations including the Giant, Goose, Lion, Mooring Post, and Hippopotamus. Unlike many earlier Egyptian star lists organized around decans, these clocks identify stars by their positions within larger celestial figures.

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Sah was closely associated with Osiris, one of the central figures of Egyptian mythology. According to the myth, Osiris ruled Egypt until his jealous brother Seth murdered him and disposed of his body. His wife Isis searched for his remains and, through her magical powers, restored him to life. Osiris did not return to rule the living, however, but became lord of the underworld, where he presided over the dead. His story made him a powerful symbol of death and rebirth.

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The connection extended into the night sky. Sah was associated with Osiris, while Sopdet, the Egyptian name for Sirius, was associated with Isis. Egyptian astronomical images sometimes depict the two together, and later astronomical ceilings continued to place them among planets and other celestial figures.