Ammit (also called Ammut, Ammet, Ahemait or Devourer) is a monstrous creature from Egyptian mythology. She monstrous creature also known as "Eater of the dead", "Eater of hearts" and "Great of death".
Ammit was not worshiped; on the contrary, she embodied everything the Egyptians feared, threatening to condemn them to eternal restlessness if they did not follow the principles of the Ma'at. The animal parts that make up the body belong to species much feared in antiquity (hippopotamus, lion and crocodile) despite being considered sacred.
Description[]
Ammit's muzzle is like that of a crocodile; the head, the front legs and the trunk of the body are of a lioness, while the rear part resembles that of the hippopotamus. Scholars hypothesize that on his head he wears a kind of "hair" made of bird feathers, but more likely it is a lion's mane.
The myth[]
The Devourer attends the rite of psychostasis together with the Gods of the Court of Osiris. If the heart of the deceased weighs more than the Feather of Maat, it is fed to Ammit and his soul condemned to oblivion. That is, she cannot continue her journey into the afterlife and hug her loved ones again.
Ammit is mentioned in the "Book of the Dead" or the "Formulas of going out a day" in chapter 125.