Ancient Egyptian conception of the soul

The ancient Egyptians believed that a soul (kꜣ and bꜣ; Egypt. pron. ka/ba) was made up of many parts. In addition to these components of the soul, there was the human body (called the ḥꜥ, occasionally a plural ḥꜥw, meaning approximately "sum of bodily parts").

According to ancient Egyptian creation myths, the god Atum created the world out of chaos, utilizing his own magic (ḥkꜣ).^[1] Because the earth was created with magic, Egyptians believed that the world was imbued with magic and so was every living thing upon it. When humans were created, that magic took the form of the soul, an eternal force which resided in and with every human. The concept of the soul and the parts which encompass it has varied from the Old Kingdom to the New Kingdom, at times changing from one dynasty to another, from five parts to more. Most ancient Egyptian funerary texts reference numerous parts of the soul:

Khet or the "physical body"
Sah or the "spiritual body"
Ren or the "name, identity"
Ba or the "personality"
Ka or the "double" or "vital essence"
Ib or the "heart"
Shuyet or the "shadow"
Sekhem or the "power, form"

Collectively, these spirits of a dead person were called the Akh after that person had successfully completed its transition to the afterlife.^[2]^[a] Egyptologist R. David,^[3] at the University of Manchester, explains the many facets of the soul as follows:

The Egyptians believed that the human personality had many facets—a concept that was probably developed early in the Old Kingdom. In life, the person was a complete entity, but if he had led a virtuous life, he could also have access to a multiplicity of forms that could be used in the next world. In some instances, these forms could be employed to help those whom the deceased wished to support or, alternately, to take revenge on his enemies.^[3]

^ Pinch, Geraldine (2004). Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195170245.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Budge-1895-EBotD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b David, Rosalie (2003). Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt. Penguin Books. p. 116. ISBN 9780141941387.

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[1] Pinch, Geraldine (2004). Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195170245.

[Budge-1895-EBotD-2] Cite error: The named reference Budge-1895-EBotD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[David-2003-RelMag-4] David, Rosalie (2003). Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt. Penguin Books. p. 116. ISBN 9780141941387.

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