Just by looking at the massive pyramids, the beautiful sarcophagi and the impressionable mummies, one can easily notice how much importance the ancient Egyptians placed on matters dealing with death. The preservation of the body and preparation for the journey through the underworld towards the Fields of Aaru were taken very seriously.

The Egyptians believed that there were five elements of vital importance for a person’s existence, three of which were parts of the soul.

First and foremost was the ‘ka’; the person’s life force. Upon death, the ‘ka’ was released from the body and entered the underworld, known as the Duat. However, the ‘ka’ needed sustenance in order to survive; sustenance provided through food and beverage buried with the corpse or painted on the sarcophagi and tomb walls.

The second part of the soul was the ‘ba’, which was the person’s personality. This part could travel freely between the worlds of the living and the dead, but it had to return to the body in order to survive. This was where the body’s mummification played its role, as it helped preserve the body for the ‘ba’s’ return.

Finally, there was the ‘akh’, or spirit form. This third part was actually the union of the ‘ka’ and the ‘ba’ and was free to roam and enjoy the afterlife.

The other two integral elements to a person’s existence were the name and the shadow. The name, which was given at the time of birth, marked the person as a living being. Removal of the name was equalled to the obliteration of the person’s existence. Thus, the name was kept even after death, the loss of which would have resulted in the soul’s annihilation. A person’s shadow was also considered to be an essential part of human life and consequently needed to be protected as well.

Upon the person’s death, the process of mummification would begin and the presiding priest used to perform the ‘Opening of the Mouth’ rite, imbuing the body with the senses and the power of speech in the process. Speech would enable the deceased to justify his life in the Hall of Judgement. Along with the mummified body, an assortment of items were buried in the tombs: food and beverage for the ‘ka’s’ sustenance, various possessions to enable the enjoyment of the afterlife and Shabti figures. The latter were inscribed with spells enabling them to serve the deceased in the afterlife by providing food and aid in the caring of the Fields of Aaru, something which Osiris demanded in return for the protection he offered.

However, before the afterlife in the Fields of Aaru could be reached, the deceased had to pass safely through the Duat’s demon-guarded gates and be judged; no small feat. Safe passage required certain information and rituals which only spells could provide; spells derived from scriptures (such as the Coffin Texts, the Book of the Dead and the Book of Two Ways) and inscribed on tomb walls, sarcophagi and various other objects.

Once the perilous journey was complete, the deceased would be led to the Hall of Judgement by Anubis, where he was required to justify his existence on Earth in front of Osiris and a number of judges. The deceased’s heart would be weighed against the feather of Ma’at, the goddess of truth and justice. If he led a good life, the heart would balance with the feather and the deceased would be deemed worthy of passage into the afterlife. Horus, while holding the ankh, would lead him to Osiris, who in turn would allow entry into the Fields of Aaru.

If, on the other hand, the heart and feather did not balance perfectly, the Devourer of Souls, known as Ammit, would eat the heart. This resulted in the annihilation of the deceased. Such was the fate of those who did not live according to the teachings of Ma’at.

Once in the Fields of Aaru, the newly formed ‘akh’ would be free to roam the afterlife. Here, apart from the requirement to help maintain the land, the deceased was free to lead the same life as before, except for the suffering and distress; these had no place in the beautiful paradise that were the Fields of Aaru. The Pharaohs, who were believed to retain their superior status, were thought to be privileged enough to travel with the sun god, Ra, on his boat.