Hell

====Ancient Egypt====
[[image:El pesado del corazón en el Papiro de Hunefer.jpg|thumb|In this ~1275 BC ''[[Book of the Dead]]'' scene the dead scribe [[Hunefer]]'s heart is weighed on the scale of [[Maat]] against the [[feather of truth]], by the canine-headed [[Anubis]]. The [[ibis]]-headed [[Thoth]], [[scribe]] of the [[gods]], records the result. If his heart is lighter than the feather, [[Hunefer]] is allowed to pass into the [[Aaru|afterlife]]. If not, he is eaten by the crocodile-headed [[Ammit]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.egyptartsite.com/hall1.html |title=Egyptian Book of the Dead |publisher=Egyptartsite.com |access-date=18 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926051942/http://www.egyptartsite.com/hall1.html |archive-date=26 September 2012 }}</ref>]]

With the rise of the cult of [[Osiris]] during the [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]] the "democratization of religion" offered to even his humblest followers the prospect of eternal life, with moral fitness becoming the dominant factor in determining a person's suitability. At death a person faced judgment by a tribunal of forty-two divine judges. If they had led a life in conformance with the precepts of the goddess [[Maat]], who represented truth and right living, the person was welcomed into the heavenly [[Aaru|reed fields]]. If found guilty the person was thrown to [[Ammit]], the "devourer of the dead" and would be condemned to the [[lake of fire]].<ref>''Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt'', Rosalie David, p. 158–159, Penguin, 2002, {{ISBN|0-14-026252-0}}</ref> The person taken by the devourer is subject first to terrifying punishment and then annihilated. These depictions of punishment may have influenced medieval perceptions of the inferno in hell via early [[Christianity|Christian]] and [[Copt]]ic texts.<ref>''The Essential Guide to Egyptian Mythology: The Oxford Guide'', "Hell", p161-162, Jacobus Van Dijk, Berkley Reference, 2003, {{ISBN|0-425-19096-X}}</ref> Purification for those considered justified appears in the descriptions of "Flame Island", where humans experience the triumph over evil and rebirth. For the damned complete destruction into a state of non-being awaits but there is no suggestion of eternal torture; the weighing of the heart in [[Egyptian mythology]] can lead to annihilation.<ref>''The Divine Verdict'', John Gwyn Griffiths, p233, BRILL, 1991, {{ISBN|90-04-09231-5}}</ref><ref>See also letter by Prof. Griffith to ''The Independent'', 32{{clarify|date=September 2012}} December 1993 {{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/letter-hell-in-the-ancient-world-1470076.html |title=Letter: Hell in the ancient world |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=18 September 2011 |access-date=28 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901184319/http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/letter-hell-in-the-ancient-world-1470076.html |archive-date=1 September 2012 }}</ref> The Tale of Khaemwese describes the [[Dives and Lazarus|torment of a rich man]], who lacked charity, when he dies and compares it to the blessed state of a poor man who has also died.<ref>''The Civilization of Ancient Egypt'', Paul Johnson, 1978, p. 170; see also ''Ancient Egyptian Literature'', Miriam Lichtheim, vol 3, p. 126</ref>
Divine pardon at judgment always remained a central concern for the ancient Egyptians.<ref>"Egyptian Religion", Jan Assman, ''The Encyclopedia of Christianity'', p77, vol2, Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing, 1999, {{ISBN|90-04-11695-8}}</ref>

Modern understanding of Egyptian notions of hell relies on six ancient texts:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hell-on-line.org/TextsEGY.html|title=Eileen Gardiner, editor; Hell-On-Line:Egyptian Hell Texts; Book of Two Ways, Book of Amduat, Book of Gates, Book of the Dead, Book of the Earth, Book of Caverns|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105010042/http://www.hell-on-line.org/TextsEGY.html|archive-date=5 November 2015}}</ref>

#''The Book of Two Ways'' (''Book of the Ways of Rosetau'')
# ''The Book of Amduat'' (''Book of the Hidden Room'', ''Book of That Which Is in the Underworld'')
# ''The Book of Gates''
# ''The Book of the Dead'' (''Book of Going Forth by Day'')
# ''The Book of the Earth''
# ''The Book of Caverns''
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Reference	Page text.<ref>[https://www.example.org/ Link text], additional text.</ref>	Page text.^[1]
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