akh
akh, in Egyptian religion, the spirit of a deceased person and, with the ka and the ba, a principal aspect of the soul. By enabling the soul to assume temporarily any form it desired for the purpose of revisiting the earth or for its own enjoyment, the akh characterized the soul of a deceased person as an effective entity in the next world.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Laura Etheredge.
Citation Information
Article Title:
akh
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
31 October 2021
Access Date:
November 13, 2026