ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs

Well kiddo, the ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died, their soul would leave their body and travel to the afterlife. But it wasn't just any old afterlife, it was a special place called the "Field of Reeds" where the soul could continue to live on after death.

To make sure their soul made it safely to the afterlife, the Egyptians believed they needed to go through a process called mummification. This involved removing all the organs from the body, drying it out, and wrapping it in a special cloth.

Once the body was mummified, it was placed in a tomb with lots of treasures and gifts for the person to use in the afterlife. These would include things like furniture, jewelry, and even food and drinks (don't worry, they weren't real).

The Egyptians also believed that the soul needed to pass through a series of challenges before it could reach the afterlife. These challenges were called the "judgment of Osiris" and involved the soul having to answer questions and make declarations about their life. If the soul passed these tests, it would be welcomed into the Field of Reeds.

But if the soul failed the tests, it would be devoured by a monster called Ammit and would never reach the afterlife. So the Egyptians believed it was very important to live a good and virtuous life, so that their soul could pass the judgment of Osiris and have a happy afterlife.

So there you have it, kiddo. The ancient Egyptians believed that when you die, your soul would travel to a special place called the Field of Reeds, but you had to go through a process called mummification and pass some tests to get there. And it was important to live a good life so your soul could have a happy afterlife.