Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 September 24

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The Osiris myth is the most elaborate and influential story in ancient Egyptian mythology. It concerns the murder of the god Osiris, a primeval king of Egypt, and its consequences. Osiris' murderer, his brother Set, usurps his throne, while Osiris' wife Isis restores her husband's body and posthumously conceives a son, Horus, by him. Horus' triumph over Set restores order to Egypt and completes the process of Osiris' resurrection. The myth is integral to the Egyptian conceptions of kingship and succession, conflict between order and disorder, and especially, death and the afterlife. The Osiris myth reached its essential form in or before the 25th century BC. Parts of the myth appear in a wide variety of Egyptian texts, from funerary texts and magical spells to short stories. The story is, therefore, more detailed and more cohesive than any other ancient Egyptian myth. Greek and Roman writings, particularly De Iside et Osiride by Plutarch, provide more information but may not always accurately reflect Egyptian beliefs. (more...) Recently featured: White Stork – Mary Martha Sherwood – Spanish conquest of Guatemala Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the first-century Blacas Cameo (pictured) shows the Emperor Augustus clothed only in a goatskin aegis? ... that in a lost commentary on the Book of Genesis, Nerses IV the Gracious related the story of how some Armenian monks were allowed to see the Garden of Eden? ... that Autism Cymru worked with the Welsh Government to develop the first national autism online community? ... that Arizona Territorial Delegate Mark Smith was accused of receiving gold from the Wham Paymaster Robbery? ... that the author of Adab al-Tabib, called the "crowning achievement" in early Islamic medical ethics, may actually have been a Christian? ... that Hans Thamm, who founded the boys' choir Windsbacher Knabenchor in 1946 and conducted them for 31 years, recorded Bach's cantata Wer Dank opfert, der preiset mich, BWV 17, in 1961? ... that Siam's token participation in World War I paved the way for the country's full independence? ... that Kelly Heath received his only Major League Baseball at-bat because of a case of hemorrhoids? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
In Gaelic football, Donegal defeat Mayo in the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. Anticipating violent reactions to a series of cartoons depicting Muhammad in the magazine Charlie Hebdo, France announces plans to temporarily close its embassies in 20 Muslim countries. Silver Linings Playbook, directed by David O. Russell (pictured), wins the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Attacks on diplomatic missions and widescale protests occur following the release of a short film critical of Islam. British Prime Minister David Cameron apologises after an independent panel on the 1989 Hillsborough disaster finds that negligent police and emergency services manipulated evidence to blame the victims. Syrian civil war – Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
September 24: Heritage Day in South Africa; Republic Day in Trinidad and Tobago (1976) 622 – Muhammad and his followers completed their Hijra from Mecca to Medina to escape religious persecution. 1180 – The Byzantine Empire was weakened by the death of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (pictured). 1853 – Admiral Febvrier Despointes took formal possession of New Caledonia for France. 1903 – Alfred Deakin became the second Prime Minister of Australia, succeeding Edmund Barton who left office to become a founding justice of the High Court of Australia. 1964 – The Warren Commission released its report, concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. More anniversaries: September 23 – September 24 – September 25 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now September 24, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured list

The parties to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) are the states that have signed and ratified the international agreement banning all nuclear explosions in all environments. If the treaty enters into force, these states will also be member states of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). States Signatories are Members of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission. On September 24, 1996, the CTBT was opened for signature. All five nuclear weapons states recognized under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signed the treaty, with 66 other states following that day. Fiji became the first state to ratify the treaty on October 10, 1996. The treaty will come into force with the signature and ratification of all countries which participated in the 1996 Conference on Disarmament and possessed nuclear power or research reactors at that time, known in the treaty as Annex 2 states. Eight such states have not ratified the treaty: China, Egypt, Iran, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States. (more...)

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The skull of a black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), a critically endangered species of rhinoceros native to eastern and central Africa. The two horns on the skull are made of keratin, with the larger front horn typically 50 cm (20 in) long. Sometimes, a third, smaller horn may develop.

Photo: Jebulon

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