The Weighing of The Heart Ceremony
Ancient Egyptians are one of the most commonly known civilizations for their belief in the afterlife. They believed that once somebody died, they encountered multiple dangerous hazards until they safely reached another world. Before they reached their final destination, however, they had to go through a final test commonly called the "Weighing of the Heart" ceremony. The deceased's heart, containing all of their actions from their previous life, was set on a scale and weighed against a feather. If the heart was heavier than the feather, it was fed to Ammut, a creature the mix of a crocodile, lion, and hippopotamus, and they were cast into an eternal darkness. If the feather was heavier, their journey was complete. This is where they met Osiris, who welcomed them to their destination.
For additional information on Egyptian afterlife, go to http://www.egyptpast.com/gods/afterlife.html
For further information on this ceremony, go to http://www.egyptian-scarabs.co.uk/weighing_of_the_heart.htm
The picture above shows the god Anubis weighing a heart, while Ammut sits hungrily by his side. :)
