Judgement of the Dead in Ancient Egypt

3 min read | Published: Jan 07, 2019 | Updated: Mar 02, 2023 | TRIPS IN EGYPT

The ancient Egyptians were very heavily affected by the dogma of the afterlife as they truly believed the soul was immortal and was part of a larger plan and a bigger journey. They were convinced that the soul consists of nine parts that were a part of one earthly existence and one of the parts the Akh “Transformed-Self” played crucial in the judicial process as written in the book of the dead. The ancient Egyptians mummified their body so they would be ready when the soul returns to the body once again.

The Judgement of the Dead in Ancient Egypt

Judgement of the Dead in Ancient Egypt - Trips in Egypt

The process of judgment begins with Anubis (God of the Dead) who guides the dead to the underworld their final resting place where they wait their turn to be judged. When their time comes Anubis takes them to the hall of truth in front of the lord of the underworld Osiris, Thoth (The God of Knowledge & Wisdom) who documents everything, and Maa’t (The Goddess of balance and Harmony) plus is surrounded by 42 Judges who consult with the ancient Egyptian gods to determine every soul’s fate.

The Weighing of The Heart Ceremony

Weighing of The Heart Ceremony - Trips in Egypt

Osiris begins by him taking the heart of the deceased which contains the soul then placing it on a golden scale then balanced against the white feather of Maa’t a symbol of truth and balance. If the heart was found lighter than the feather then Osiris, The other gods would counsel with the 42 gods and if he was found justified then he was allowed to cross to the heavens called the field of Reeds (The place of purification and eternal bliss) by boarding the ship of Ra through the dark underworld and if the heart was found heavier than the feather then the person would be eaten by the monster god Ammut a.k. The Gobbler has the face of a crocodile and the back of Rhinoceros and then the person’s soul would cease to exist.

Listen to the Legendary Stories of Ancient Egypt with Your Own Eyes

Finally, Egypt has many historical mysterious temples & tombs which contain hidden secrets about the lives of ancient Egyptians, so the land of Pharaohs is worth an adventurous journey to unlock these secrets with an expert tour guide through our majestic Egypt tour packages. Head to the capital of Pharaohs "Luxor", and discover the land of myths "Aswan" on our gorgeous Nile cruises.