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Egyptian Artifacts

The Heart Scarab

This special amuletΒ π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†Β is known as a Heart Scarab! This particular Heart Scarab belonged to Hatnefer 𓄂𓄀𓁐, who was the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of SenemutΒ π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“…π“€Ό! SenemutΒ π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“…π“€ΌΒ was Hatshepsut’sΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺΒ most trusted advisor (amongst other things πŸ˜‰)!Β 

Heart Scarab of Hatnefer at the MET

In ancient Egyptian culture, the heart π“‡‹π“ƒ€π“„£ was not only the center of a person’s life π“‹Ή, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart π“‡‹π“ƒ€π“„£ was not removed during the mummification process, because the deceased π“…“𓏏𓏱 person would need it on their journey through the afterlife π“‡Όπ“„Ώπ“π“‰. The person’s heart π“‡‹π“ƒ€π“„£ would be weighed against Maat’s π“™π“Œ΄π“‚£π“π“¦ feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣, and that would determine if the deceased π“…“𓏏𓏱 would be presented to Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ and then enter the Field of Reeds π“‡π“π“ˆ…π“‡‹π“„Ώπ“‚‹π“…±π“†°π“Š–, or eternal 𓆖 life π“‹Ή. This was called the β€œWeighing of the Heart,” and it is something I have written extensively about!

So how does the Heart Scarab play into this? In modern terms, the Heart Scarab could be seen as a β€œcheat code” for getting past the β€œWeighing of the Heart” – this special scarab π“π“Šͺ𓂋𓂋𓆣 is inscribed π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– with Chapter 30A from the Book of the Dead (most are inscribed with Chapter 30B). In this spell, the deceased π“…“𓏏𓏱 asks their own heart π“‡‹π“ƒ€π“„£ to not betray them during the β€œWeighing of the Heart.” 

Basically, the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ feared the outcome of their final judgement so they developed this amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…† as a way to ensure a positive outcome to the scales!

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 30A: β€œ Do not stand against me as witness beside the lords of the ritual, Do not say against me, he did do it, about my actions, Do not make a case against me beside the great god, Hail my heart, Hail my heart…”