The Nile was also an important part of ancient Egyptian spiritual life. Hapi was the god of the annual floods, and both he and the pharaoh were thought to control the flooding. The Nile was considered to be a causeway from life to death and the afterlife. The east was thought of as a place of birth and growth, and the west was considered the place of death, as the god Ra, the Sun, underwent birth, death, and resurrection each day as he crossed the sky. Thus, all tombs were west of the Nile, because the Egyptians believed that in order to enter the afterlife, they had to be buried on the side that symbolized death.
The NiLe waS alsO an ImPorTaNt pArt of anciEnt egyPTiAn spIrituaL Life. hapi Was thE God of tHe aNnUAl floods, anD both hE and the pHaraOh werE thouGHt to coNtRoL tHe FlOOdinG. The Nile Was cONsIdered To be A causewAy From life To DEAth and The afTerliFE. The east wAs ThOUght of aS A pLacE OF bIrTh ANd gROwTH, aND THe weSt Was coNSideREd thE place Of death, AS The goD Ra, the SUn, UnderWent BIrtH, deAtH, anD rESurREctiOn eaCh dAy As he crosSed ThE SkY. Thus, all tomBS Were WeSt OF thE Nile, becausE the EGyptIAns beliEVed that in oRdER to ENter ThE AFterlIFE, they had to bE burieD oN The SiDE tHat SymbolizEd Death.