Why were some dangerous-animal hieroglyphs altered in Egyptian tomb inscriptions?

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hieroglyphics — hieroglyphic writing Hieroglyphics on a temple wall at Karnak, Egypt.

In ancient Egyptian tomb inscriptions, certain hieroglyphs representing dangerous animals—such as snakes and scorpions—were intentionally avoided or depicted in a garbled, incomplete form.

This practice was rooted in the belief that the living beings represented by these symbols possessed the potential to harm the deceased, who was considered helpless within the grave. By altering or mutilating these signs, the ancient Egyptians sought to neutralize the perceived threat, ensuring the safety of the deceased in the afterlife.1