Osiris was one of the most important of the Egyptian deities, embodying all the quintessential concerns of the ancient Egyptians through his close association with death, resurrection and fertility. He was frequently depicted as a mummy with hands holding the royal implements of the crook and flail and wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt. The cult of Osiris became increasingly important in the 1st Millennium B.C., as reflected in the profusion of bronze Osiris figures that were offered at shrines and temples of this period. Such statuettes were made in various sizes, however the present figure above is one of the larger examples.
