A human heart is represented by this symbol (Leb). The Egyptians considered the heart to be the core of all consciousness, if not life itself. It was claimed that someone’s “heart had departed” when they died. It was the only organ in the body that was not removed during mummification.
The heart was weighed against the feather of Maat in the Book of the Dead to determine if a person was worthy of joining Osiris in the afterlife.
Leb Appearance
The Egyptian concept of the heart may surprise those who are used to the valentine-related heart of Western culture. Theirs resembles a vase with handles, and numerous vases and jars were constructed in the shape of the hieroglyph in issue.
Egyptian iconography’s heart is a fairly accurate picture of a piece of a sheep’s heart. The “handles” relate to the veins and arteries that connect the organ to the rest of the body.