text: who is isis?   isis is a goddess in egyptian mythology. she was the wife and sister of osiris and mother of horus, and was worshipped as the archetypical wife and mother.  her name literally means (female) of throne, i.e. queen of the throne, which was portrayed by the emblem worn on her head, that of a throne. however, the hieroglyph for her name originally meant (female) of flesh, i.e. mortal, and she may simply have represented deified, historical queens.