What happens if the heart is lighter than the feather?

If his heart is lighter than the feather, Hunefer is allowed to pass into the afterlife. If not, he is eaten by the waiting Ammit. Vignettes such as these were a common illustration in Egyptian books of the dead.

Who was present at the weighing of the heart?

All nine of these aspects were part of one’s earthly existence and, at death, the Akh (with the Sahu and Sechem) appeared before Osiris in the Hall of Truth and in the presence of the Forty-Two Judges to have one’s heart (Ab) weighed in the balance on a golden scale against the white feather of truth.

What did the ancient Egyptians think of the heart?

The heart was regarded in Ancient Egypt as the organic motor of the body and also the seat of intelligence, an important religious and spiritual symbol. It was considered as one of the eight parts of human body. Counter to other organs it had to be kept carefully intact in the mummy to ensure its eternal life.

What does it mean if your heart weighs more than it should?

Heart weight (or heart mass) is a fundamental cardiac measurement obtained during autopsy. A heavier‐than‐normal heart weight, or cardiomegaly, may be associated with cardiomyopathy, infiltrative diseases, or other primary and secondary cardiac disease.

What is the purpose of the weighing of the heart ceremony?

The Weighing of the Heart was a ceremony that the Ancient Egyptians believed would happen in the afterlife. The heart would be weighed by the gods to see if it was light enough to go to the afterlife. What would happen if the heart was too heavy?

What happened if you didn’t pass the weighing of the heart ceremony?

Weighing of the Heart If someone’s heart was heavy, they would never make it to the afterlife and they would be stuck in the Underworld forever, or they would just disappear. If a heart was light, the person would be able to go to the Land of Two Fields which was a place full of joy and happiness.

What causes a heart to weigh more?

If you have high blood pressure, or hypertension, your heart has to work harder. This extra work your heart is doing can cause the heart to enlarge. High blood pressure can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy, where the heart’s left pumping chamber becomes thickened, weak and stiff, interfering with normal blood flow.