A Journey through the Underworld

Have you ever wondered what happens after you die?  Some might think this is a morbid question, but not the ancient Egyptians.  In our study of their culture, we learned that they thought the soul lived on in a wonderful paradise.  They felt so strongly about this that they had elaborate burial customs.  Pyramids were built to house the dead pharaohs and all of their belongings (treasures and everyday items such as food) that the pharaohs would need to live on.  Our class studied mummification and pyramids.  We learned that the ancient Egyptians believed that you had to travel through the underworld, fighting monsters, and then pass a trial to prove that you had been good before moving onto the afterlife.  Then we wrote narratives about this journey.  (Stay tuned for original movies of these narratives.)  Here's Dayton's story:

I just died.

            They took my main organs and put them in jars but kept my heart inside me.  It’s really gross when all of the blood got on me.  They salted me for two months.  I feel dry now.  They wrapped me.  I can’t breathe!  Kidding!  I do not have any lungs.

            I fell in the underworld.  Snakes, crocodiles, beetles, oh my!  Monsters are gathering around me.   I’m scared, frightened, even worried.  I want to see the light again.  It’s so dark and gloomy inhere.  I can’t help but wonder what it would be like in the afterlife.  Will I get devoured by Ammit or not?  Will I see my ancestors in the afterlife?  Or did they get devoured by Ammit?  Is my heart heavier than the feather of truth?

            Scorpions!  Dodge, dodge, dodge.  Kick, kick, kick.  I fly over the scorpions in the shape of a bird.  Next come crocs.  I have to fight them with croc repellent.  My clothes are torn apart.  I’m breathing heavily.  I’m aching in pain.  Aaaaaaaaa!  The croc flips over my boat with me in it.

            I’m at the 12^th gate.  It glows like the sun.  It blinds my eyes.  I see whiteness.  Anubis greets me at the Hall of Two Truths.  “Welcome, young child.”

            Thoth is taking notes. 

“What, my heart?  The feather!!!”  I stammer out loud.  Anubis weighs my heart on a scale against the Feather of Truth.

The feather weighs more than my heart.  Ammit does not get to eat me!  I get to go to the afterlife.  Ammit growls and snarls at me.  I thank life and the gods.

I’m in paradise now.  Not a lot of my ancestors made it.  I am grateful and loyal to my soul and my life.