Isis was worshipped across the kingdom throughout most of Egyptian history, although her chief cult centre was in Philae. She features in mythology, where she used her magical powers to breathe life back into her husband Osiris after he had been murdered and his body cut into pieces.

Her powers were gained by tricking her father Re into revealing his secret name. Re was old and sometimes dribbled. Isis collected his saliva and turned it into a poisonous snake which bit him. Isis promised to heal him only if he revealed his secret name. In agony, he did and, in so doing, passed his magical powers to his daughter.