ancient Egyptian belief, statues were living vessels. The spirit needed a physical form to inhabit

Copyright : "lost soul" by Bliss Some statues, especially from the Middle Kingdom, had inlaid eyes made of crystal, stone, or even obsidian. This was done to make the statue more lifelike - they believed the eyes were the "windows to the soul" and helped the ka to "see." Some larger statues (like those at Abu Simbel) have hollow interiors or hidden chambers. Symbolism also played a big role - for example, crossed arms on Osiris statues symbolized resurrection, and certain headdresses indicated the god or king's power. Later pharaohs would recycle statues of their predecessors by chiseling out the old names and carving in their own. This saved effort - and also made it look like they'd built or donated more than they actually had.