Heart

To the Egyptians the heart {haly or /A), rather than the brain, was regarded as the source of human wisdom and the centre of the emotions and memory. Its function in the circulation of the blood was not understood, although one religious treatise states that the movemcm of all parts of the bodv was determined hv the heart. Because of its supposed links with intellect, personalitv and memorv, it was considered to be the most important of the internal organs.

Since it was felt that the heart could reveal a person’s true character, een after death, it was left in the body during ii.Lm'i(„vri(), and if accidenialh removed would be. sewn back into place. There was some concern that the heart might testify against its ownei' and so condemn him or her at the judgement; in order to prevent this, a heart. sc. ARMi was coni-monlv wrapped within the bandages, i'he inscription on this scarab usuall consisted ot Chapter 30 from the nook or Tin: oi'to: ‘0 my heart which I had from my mother; O my heart which I had upon earth, do not ri. se up against me as a witness in the presence ol the lord of things; do not speak against me concerning what 1 ha’e done, do not bring up am-thing against me in the presence ol the great god of the west...’

In the portrayal of the Hnal judgement - a popular vignette in copies of the Book ol the Dead — the heart of the deceased was shown being w'cighcd against the feather of m v vr (the symbol of universal truth and harmony), and the god Anubis was sometimes to he seen adjusting the balance slightly in favour ol ih*-' deceased to ensure a safe entiw into the underworld. 'f’he heart was thought to be given back to the deceased in the afterlife; Chapters of the Book of the Dead were thcrcrore

, raihcr lira - ol’ lotions ition of tdi one nent of h ihc h inld-L'onsid-ntcrnal

I rceal caili, it . VI l(), c si‘v  :rn lhat • and so cm; in IS com-s. Tiic isted ()f ;u>: 'O ¦; () ni> rise up of I he 1C con-up any-ic c:rcal

Icnl -. of Ihe shown

V vr (the i), and 1C seen r of the undtT-cn back rs 2h-‘J icrel'orc

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Selection ofliearl scarnbs and aniiilels: ‘I'oi* u:i"i' green faience scarab inscribed with Chapter 30n of the Booh oj'tfie Dead, 3rd Inlennediate Period, /.. 6.7 cm. 0; 66H17) toi’ mciU'x steatite, veryjial, human-headed heart scarab inscribed on the underside with Chapter 3l)ii of the Booh of the Dead for the woman his. Sew Kingdom. /.. 6.8 an. (E. i38073) I50TT0M W'.VY green-glazed steatite scarab inlaid with cornelian and bine glass. The underside bears Chapter 30tt of the Booh of the Dead, Sew Kingdom, t.. 4.3 cm. (t: i66814j BOiTOM a:TRi-; polychrome glass heart amulet with slightly convex faces, 18th Dynasty,

It. 2.1 cm. (t: i2926.7) liin-ioM right light turquoise-blue glass. Jlat-hached. convex-faced heart. Sew Kingdom, it. 2.6 cm. (li8!28)

Intended to ensure that the heart was restored and could not be removed.

From the New Kingdom (1550-1069 ik.) onwards, "heart amulets', taking the form of a vase with lug handles (perhaps representing the blood vessels), were introduced into the funerary equipment, Tlie heading of Chapter 29b in the Book ol'the Dead slated that such amulets should be made of. vt7/c/r/ .stone (cornelian), but there arc man surxiiing examples which are made from other materials, such as glass.

R. O. Fvi l-kER, The ancient Egyptian Booh if the Dead, ed. C. .Andrews (London, 1972), 52-6.

C. Andrkw. s, .-Imulcts of ancient Egypt (London,

1994),72-.i.