Ammit was an ancient Egyptian
demon who devoured the souls of the dead if they did not follow the principles of
Ma'at, which represented justice,
truth, and order. Whether they did or didn't was determined by weighing their hearts against the feather of Ma'at after they died. If the
heart of the dead was heavier than the feather, Ammit consumed it, and the soul was destroyed. If it was lighter, the dead soul could continue its journey in the Duat, the Egyptian underworld. Ammit's name (ˤmmt in Egyptological transliteration) literally means 'devourer'.