The ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife. The afterlife was a heavenly place, complete with a heavenly Nile River. The ancient Egyptians called this heavenly place the land of the Two Fields. In the beginning, only pharaohs could board Ra's magical boat and travel to the land of the Two Fields, to dwell forever in the afterlife. But the god Osiris changed that. One of the reasons that Osiris was such a famous and important god in ancient Egypt is that Osiris opened the door to the afterlife to everyone.
Just dying would not get to you the land of the Two Fields. You had to earn a place in Ra's boat. To board Ra's boat, your heart had to be light. To keep your heart light, the ancient Egyptians believed you had to spend a lifetime doing good deeds.
Just dying would not get to you the land of the Two Fields. You had to earn a place in Ra's boat. To board Ra's boat, your heart had to be light. To keep your heart light, the ancient Egyptians believed you had to spend a lifetime doing good deeds.