Abstract
The aim of this introductory lecture is to examine the specific place (or otherwise) of Osiris in the Egyptian divine pantheon, from a number of angles. Firstly, we will examine the name Osiris and its origin ; secondly, the " divine identity " of Osiris, by examining the theories of Egyptian divinity proposed by Jan Assmann and Dimitri Meeks ; thirdly, the " biographiable " nature of the god, which sets him apart a priori within the Pharaonic pantheon. Other possible questions (on the divine " mortality ", anthropomorphy and the distancing of Osiris) are also briefly addressed in the conclusion.
