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'.