Ammit in folklore | The Faeries and Folklore Podcast

ByRonel Janse van Vuuren
A dark fantasy banner titled "FAERIES AND FOLKLORE by Ronel," set against a misty, gnarled forest under a large, glowing full moon. In the bottom left corner, the word "Ammit" is written in a clean, white serif font. In the top right corner, there is a circular, dark metallic or wax seal stamp featuring an embossed illustration of a sun. A scaly blue dragon rests on a rocky ridge in the foreground, surrounded by faint, glowing blue magical embers.

Episode 182: Irascible Immortals: Ammit

The folklore of Ammit in a nutshell and how I reimagined it for my writing.

Transcript

You’re listening to the Faeries and Folklore podcast by Ronel.

I’m dark fantasy author Ronel Janse van Vuuren. With nearly a decade of digging around in dusty folklore books, researching creatures of imagination that ignited my curiosity, I’m here to share the folklore in a nutshell and how I reimagined it for my writing in an origin of the fae.

This is the Faeries and Folklore podcast.

Hi, I’m your host Ronel Janse van Vuuren. You can just call me Ronel. In today’s episode, we’re continuing our exploration of the fae realm.

This episode is brought to you by my Irascible Immortals series, available in ebook, paperback, hardback and audiobook. They’ve been alive forever. They’ve been bored for some time. And now they’re showing it. Go to ronelthemythmaker.com/my-books/the-irascible-immortals-series for more.

We’re continuing our exploration of the Immortals.

Today’s immortal: Ammit

Folklore in a nutshell by Ronel

Ammit is a goddess from Egyptian mythology tied to the afterlife. She is usually found in her animal form which comprises of the head of a crocodile, the upper body of a lion and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. Her job is to devour the hearts of those who fail the test against the feather of Ma’at on the scales of judgement. The test is for the heart to not weigh more than the feather, thus not belonging to someone who did bad things in life. She’s not a goddess to be worshipped, just to be feared once one enters the Duat (the Underworld of Egyptian mythology). She’s the goddess of divine retribution of wrongs committed during life. The Ancient Egyptians called her “The Devourer” or “The Devourer of the Dead”.

Origin of the fae: Ammit

Ammit is everything scant mythological sources have to say about her: able to swallow a human heart in one gulp; has the head of a crocodile, the body of a lion, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus; is merciless to evildoers. But she is also able to transform into her human form, which is just as formidable as she is an excellent fighter. Though she is connected more to Osiris in mythology, she is actually best friends with Anubis and they hang out together when not working. Neither enjoy being worshipped by mortals and both are ignored and despised by the other gods in equal measure. She prefers to stay in the Duat and in her animal form.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this episode of the faeries and folklore podcast and that you’ve learned something new about faeries.

Remember that you can get a transcript of this episode in the description. If you’re new to the podcast, why not go and grab your free copy of Unseen, the second book in the Faery Tales series, on my website ronelthemythmaker.com? Loads of folklore, magic and danger await! Take care!

Available at

Audible | Podbean | Amazon Music | Spotify | Youtube | iHeart Radio | Player FM | Listen Notes | Apple Podcasts | TuneIn

This image shows a decorative horizontal divider featuring an antiqued gold-toned tree enclosed within a circular frame at its center, flanked by stylized vine and leaf flourishes.

Read the full folklore article:

A blog banner for "The Faerie Mythos" series titled "AMMIT" by Ronel the Mythmaker. The image features the Egyptian mythological creature Ammit—with the head of a crocodile, the mane and forequarters of a lion, and the hindquarters of a hippo—standing against a backdrop of ancient Egyptian pyramids and a fiery, atmospheric landscape. The bottom section contains a parchment-textured bar with wax seals from "From The Folklore Archive" on the sides, and the text is displayed in black.

Explore the folklore, modern interpretations, and the Faerie Mythos.

Explore Ammit in Folklore

Listen to this season’s audiobook:

A gothic-style promotional image for "The Faeries & Folklore Audiobook Library." The central composition features a powerful king wearing a crown and holding a scepter, seated upon an ornate throne and flanked by two ethereal fae figures with long, flowing hair and delicate wings. The background showcases a moonlit night, a majestic castle, and flying ravens, all surrounded by intricate gold filigree, glowing stardust, and dark flowers. The text reads: "Season 8: Immortals, the gods, the ancients & the eternal ones of faerie," followed by the author's name, "Ronel Janse van Vuuren," and the credit "Narrated by the author." The overall aesthetic is dark, opulent, and steeped in mythological wonder.

Listen to the full season with no interruptions.

Explore the Audiobook

Explore the Audiobook Library ✦ Browse the Lore Archive ✦ Discover the Faerie Mythos Books ✦ Join the Mythmaker’s Circle

Enjoying the podcast?
If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you can support the time and care that goes into researching, writing, recording, and producing the Faeries & Folklore Podcast by buying me a coffee.
Your support is always appreciated, whether it’s a one-time thank you or an occasional coffee whenever you feel like it. Every contribution helps me continue sharing the folklore, myths, and legends that inspire the Faerie Mythos.

A dark fantasy, gothic-style banner featuring a faerie and branding text on a deep purple background. On the left, a side profile of a young female faerie with pointed ears, long wavy hair, a floral crown, and translucent, vein-textured wings looks down thoughtfully. She stands in a shadowy forest next to a glowing candle lantern resting on stacked vintage books. The right side features a decorative circular emblem with a moth and crescent moon, followed by the text: "RONEL THE MYTHMAKER," "Exploring the folklore behind the magic—and creating new myths along the way," and the website "RONELTHEMYTHMAKER.COM". The entire image is framed by an ornate, vintage border.

Similar Posts