Weighing of the Heart " Judgment by the Gods" Amit, handmade hand painted Egypt Papyrus, 40" by 14" inches, Ancient Egyptian art, Frameable.

The scene of the final judgment was essential in ancient Egyptian mythology. Strong believers in the afterlife the ancient Egyptians believed that every dead soul will be judged in front of a smaller pantheon of Gods. Here there the dead soul dressed in white robes stands in front of the God Osiris ruler of the underworld. The ritual performed is the weighing of the heart. Which is undertaken by the God Anubis " with the jackal head" the mummification God. Beside the scales is God Tohut who oversees the weighing of the heart ritual. The scale of judgment were every dead soul's heart is weighted and decides this soul ultimate fate . The scales are balanced by the feather of Maat " The justice goddess" The dead soul is either resurrected and continue its journey into the after life or suffer in eternal damnation. In this case the heart is devoured by a mythical monster which half Hippo and half canine. Picture 2 shows a similar scene from one of the royal tombs in valley of the kings. The book of the dead or " Gateway to dawn" usually contained all the magic spells that the dead soul should pray during its judgment and the statement of not committing any sins in front of the seated God Osiris.