The Ancient Egyptians believed that after death, one's heart would be weighed against the Feather of Truth to determine if they could enter the perfect afterlife or be devoured. The Book of the Dead, buried with mummies, contained spells and passages to guide souls through trials in the Underworld and judgment in the Hall of the Two Truths by Osiris and 42 other judges. If deemed righteous, souls would dwell in Everlasting Paradise with departed loved ones and continue their roles from life.

2. The Ancient Egyptians believed that after death they would go to the dark and terrifying place called the Underworld . To survive the Underworld, one would need the Book of the Dead , a scroll that was buried inside the sarcophagus with the deceased. The Book of the Dead constituted as a collection of spells, charms, passwords, numbers and magical formulas that were intended to guide the dead through the various trials that they would encounter.

4. After undertaking the journey through the Underworld the deceased would face his day of judgement at the Hall of the Two Truths . The god of the dead, Anubis, would lead the dead to the Hall of Two Truths, where the deceased would stand in front of 42 judges and gods. The deceased was led to a set of scales where his or her heart, containing the deeds of their lifetime, was weighed against the Feather of Truth . The fate of the deceased would then be decided - either entrance into the perfect afterlife (if his or her heart was lighter than the feather) or to be sent to the Devourer of the Dead - the Great Swallower.

6. Following the ordeal in the Hall of Truths the deceased was welcomed by Osiris into the Egyptian Afterlife. The Pharaoh would join the realms of the gods and all others would enter Everlasting Paradise . The afterlife was seen as a place of complete bliss, delight and peace - a perfect existence in an ideal version of Egypt. In this ideal land the deceased met his ancestors and the departed loved ones. He continued working in the role he had undertaken before death. But there was no hardship only joy and happiness.

8. Ancient Egyptians provided for their afterlife according to their earthly means . When they died, the Egyptians put all the things in their tombs that they would need in the afterlife, including jewelry, furniture, clothes, knives, spoons, plates, cosmetics, ornaments, statues and tools. They made drawings of any items which were too big to fit in the tombs.

11. First, the body is taken to the tent known as 'ibu' or the 'place of purification '. There the embalmers wash the body with good-smelling palm wine and rinse it with Nile water from the Nile.

12. One of the embalmer's men makes a cut in the left side of the body and removes many of the internal organs . It is important to remove these because they are the first part of the body to decompose.

13. The liver, lungs, stomach and intestines are washed and packed in natron which will dry them out. The heart is not taken out of the body because it is the centre of intelligence and feeling and the man will need it in the afterlife. A long hook is used to smash the brain and pull it out through the nose.

14. The body is now covered and stuffed with natron which will dry it out. All of the fluids, and rags from the embalming process will be saved and buried along with the body.

15. After forty days the body is washed again with water from the Nile. Then it is covered with oils to help the skin stay elastic.

16. The dehydrated internal organs are wrapped in linen and returned to the body. The body is stuffed with dry materials such as sawdust, leaves and linen so that it looks lifelike.

17. Finally the body is covered again with good-smelling oils. It is now ready to be wrapped in linen. In the past, when the internal organs were removed from a body they were placed in hollow canopic jars .

18. A priest reads spells out loud while the mummy is being wrapped. These spells will help ward off evil spirits and help the deceased make the journey to the afterlife.