Ammit is the crocodile-headed goddess of the Underworld (Duat), the 'Devourer of the Dead' and 'Eater of Souls' in Ancient Egyptian folklore...
Although Ammit is often referred to as a goddess of the Underworld, a more accurate description is that of a demon, a supernatural and malevolent being...
She was depicted as having the head of a crocodile, the torso of a lioness and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus, a combination of the most terrifying and ferocious creatures known to the ancient Egyptians...
She features in the Book of the Dead as the punisher and executioner...
Ammit waited in the Judgement Hall of the Two Truths during the Weighing of the Heart ceremony, and devoured those deemed to be sinners...
Depiction of Ammit in Papyrus of Hunefer
The Papyrus of Hunefer is a historical document that gives a detailed account of the devourer of souls. It narrates that upon Hunefer’s death his heart was weighed at the head dress of Ma’at by Anubis.
The results were being recorded by Thoth who was believed to have an Ibis’s head.
It showed that if the results were bad then Hunefer would be restricted from entering the afterlife and would be passed on to Ammit who would devour his soul and keep him in a state of constant restlessness.
Ammit was also sometimes said to stand by a lake of fire.
In some traditions, the unworthy hearts were cast into the fiery lake to be destroyed.
Some scholars believe Ammit and the lake represent the same concept of destruction...
Probably Ammit has a link with the goddess Tawaret, who has a similar physical appearance and, as a companion of Bes, also protected others from evil...
It is possible that Ammit's lion characteristics, and the lake of fire, may be pointers to a connection with the goddess Sekhmet.
The relation to afterlife punishment and lake of fire location are also shared with the baboon deity Babi...
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See Also:
Annubis:
See Sakhmet:
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