The Ancient Egyptian Meaning of an Isis Knot

The Isis knot was a commonly used symbol in Ancient Egypt. The exact meaning of this mysterious figure is still unclear to scholars today, although several hypotheses can be drawn from the knot's association with the goddess Isis and the places it is commonly found. Isis was an important symbol in Egyptian mythology, and the meaning of the knot can be linked to any of the qualities she was believed to represent.

Isis was one of the most popular goddesses in Ancient Egyptian culture. Isis was believed to be the daughter of the earth and the sky. Myth held that she married Osiris, the king of the underworld. Isis was regarded by the Ancient Egyptians as the goddess of motherhood and the spiritual mother of all of the Egyptian Pharaohs. She is believed to have been gifted with the power of prophecy, and myth maintained that the mummification ritual was created at her request.

The Isis knot goes by several different names. It is referred to as the Tjet Amulet, the Buckle of Isis, and the Blood of Isis. The symbol, which resembles a piece of cloth that has been looped then knotted, may not have initially been associated with Isis. By the New Kingdom period, however, the symbol was commonly being used beside the symbol that represented Osiris, leading to a clear association between the knot and Isis.

The meaning of the Isis knot is debated by scholars. Although many interpretations exist, it is difficult to tell which developed in ancient times and which are modern explanations derived from the symbol's use. Archeologists commonly find Isis knots in funerary amulets, carved into the walls of temples and shrines, and on official palace badges and seals. The multiple usages of the symbol lead to scholars drawing multiple conclusions about its meaning.

Scholars speculate that the Isis knot may have been an artistic representation of a cloth used by women during menstruation. Others believe the knot was intended to resemble a woman's reproductive organs. Either of these theories would be consistent with Isis's role as the goddess of motherhood. Other scholars believe that the knot was intended to represent Isis's mystical powers of divinity. The knot often symbolized the mystical in Ancient Egypt. Since it is not uncommon for Ancient Egyptian symbols to hold multiple meanings, it is possible that the knot symbolized all of these things.