Final answer:
The connections between ancient Egyptian traditions and modern beliefs include practices to preserve the body after death, burial with personal items or 'grave goods,' and the concept of judgment in the afterlife.
Step-by-step explanation:
The connections between the Egyptian traditions and beliefs about death and the afterlife and those of our society are notable in several areas. The ancient Egyptians practiced mummification to preserve the body, essential for the Ka and Ba to continue their existence. Similarly, many modern societies have customs related to preserving and respecting the body, such as embalming. However, unlike the Egyptians who believed in a more tangible interaction with the afterlife through the Ba and Ka, many contemporary beliefs are abstract, centering on the soul's journey beyond physical existence without the need for preserving the body.
Egyptians included 'grave goods' and created elaborate tombs for their dead, a practice that resonates today with how we often bury individuals with personal items or create spaces that reflect their life's achievements. Finally, the concept of judgment in the afterlife, as seen in Egyptian belief wherein the heart is weighed against Ma'at's feather, can be paralleled with various modern religious and cultural beliefs of an afterlife where actions in life impact one's fate after death.