thumb|upright|Ma'at wearing the feather of truth In early times the deceased pharaoh was believed to ascend to the sky and dwell among the stars. Over the course of the Old Kingdom (–2181 BC), however, he came to be more closely associated with the daily rebirth of the sun god Ra and with the underworld ruler Osiris as those deities grew more important.
thumb|upright|ma'at wearing the feather of truth in early times the deceased pharaoh was believed to ascend to the sky and dwell among the stars over the course of the old kingdom (–2181 bc) however he came to be more closely associated with the daily rebirth of the sun god ra and with the underworld ruler osiris as those deities grew more important