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Egyptian Artifacts

Ammit – The Devourer

Ammit in the Book of the Dead of Imhotep at The MET

Never did I think I would see the day where Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was the main villain on a Marvel tv show but here we are! Let’s learn a bit about the Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 from Egyptian π“†Žπ“π“€€π“ mythology – there are some similarities to the Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 we saw on Moon Knight! In ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was not formally worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 in any formal cult (unlike on Moon Knight) and the Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ saw her as a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ to be feared and overcome!

Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was a combination of animals that were most feared by the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ: she had the head 𓁢𓏺 of a crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ, the neck and mane of a lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„›, and the rear of a hippopotamus π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―! Since she was the combination of both land and marine animals there was no escaping Ammit’s 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 wrath no matter where you went!

Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was known as β€œthe devourer” or β€œeater of hearts” and her name π“‚‹π“ˆ– means β€œfemale devourer” or β€œfemale devourer of the dead.” That is in reference to Ammit’s 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 role in the Weighing of the Heart of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱; if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 led a life full of bad deeds, Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 would eat their heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 when it weighed more than Maat’s π“™π“Œ΄π“‚£π“π“¦ feather. When Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 eat their heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would not be granted access to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife).

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 is from the Book of the Dead of Imhotep (Early Ptolemaic Period) at the MET!