Iset

Iset (also Aset) is the reconstructed Ancient Egyptian form of the name of the goddess more famously known by her Greek name Isis. Derived from the Egyptian word st, meaning 'throne', Iset translates as '(She) of the throne.' This etymology is reflected in the goddess's role as a divine queen and her iconic throne-shaped headdress.

Historical Bearers

The name Iset was borne by several royal women of ancient Egypt. Among them:

• Iset, the mother of Pharaoh Thutmose III, who reigned during the 18th Dynasty.
• A daughter of Thutmose III and Hatshepsut-Meryetre, depicted on a statue of her maternal grandmother Huy.
• A daughter of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, also of the 18th Dynasty.
• Iset Ta-Hemdjert, the wife of Ramesses III during the 20th Dynasty.
• Iset, a high priestess who held the title God's Wife of Amun.

Cultural Significance

Iset is also the resurrected spelling adopted by modern neopagan and Kemetic practitioners to bypass Greek influence and return to the goddess's original pronunciation. The spelling appears in pop culture, such as the song 'Aset' by Marcus Orelias.