Within Egyptian beliefs, what is the significance of "Akh"?

In ancient Egyptian beliefs, "Akh" refers to the concept of transformation, particularly in the context of the deceased's soul. The Akh represents the state of the soul after it has undergone a transformation through the process of mummification and judgment. This transformation allows the deceased to become a spirit that can navigate the afterlife, achieving a form of immortality.

Belief in the Akh was integral to Egyptian funerary practices, as it underscored the idea that the spirit of the deceased could achieve unity with the divine and experience enlightenment. The transformation was believed to allow the individual to exist in a heightened state of being, transcending the physical world and entering into a renewed, spiritual existence, which is essential for their journey in the afterlife.

The other concepts—illumination, restoration, and resurrection—have their respective meanings and significance within the broader context of Egyptian theology, but they do not encapsulate the specific function and role of the Akh as a transformative state that connects life, death, and the afterlife.