The Golden Heart Scarab

This story takes place in the Valley of the Kings and the near by village of Deir el-Medina. Meryibra the beloved son of Pharoah has died and been buried in the Valley of the Kings. His tomb is filled with everything a Prince would need in the afterlife like amulets, shabti figures, canopic jars, furniture, perfume, cosmetics, clothes, games, jewels and gold.

Out of all the items in the tomb the Prince's golden heart scarab was most beautiful treasure there ever was. The heart scarab is a large scarab amultet that is wrapped in the bandages of the mummy over the heart. It was inscribed with Chapter 30B of the Book of the Dead.

The gist of the inscription is an instruction from the dead person in his or her heart that when it was brought before the tribunal of the gods lead by Wesir for judgement (the Weighing of the Heart Ceremony) that it should not confess to any of the wrongs that the dead person might have committed during his or her lifetime.

Khaemwaset a tomb builder in the village of Deir el-Medina had a love for beautiful things. He wanted to possess the golden heart scarab and planned to steal it during the night. Khaemwaset didn't trust the the other tomb builders so he would rob the tomb alone. That night Khaemwaset saw a jackal sitting on hill not being superstitious at all Kanefer continued on. Upon entering the tomb he thought about the concenquences of getting caught but the temptation proved too powerful for him.

Khaemwaset made his way to the sarcophus, opened the coffins one by one, removed the wrappings and found the treasure he was looking for. It was a beautiful heart scarab all made out of gold which rare by Egyptian standards. The inscription on the back read:

O my heart that I received from my mother, my heart that I have had since birth, my heart that was with me through all the stages of my life, do not stand up against me as a witness! Do not oppose me at the tribunal! Do not tip the scales against me in the presence of the Keeper of the Balance! You are my ka of my body, you are the creator god Khnum who makes my limbs sound. Go forth to the Hereafter...

Right then and there Khaemwaset heard noise inside the tomb thinking he was caught Khaemwaset panic and died of a heart attack from fear. The jackal that Khaemwaset saw sitting on the hill had followed him and over his body the Jackal wishpered to Khaemwaset a heart of gold is worth more than a heart scarab of gold.