What term is used to refer to the element that signifies the soul in ancient Egyptian culture?

In ancient Egyptian culture, the term that signifies the soul is "Ba." The concept of Ba represents the spiritual essence of a person, often depicted as a bird with a human head, symbolizing the individual's unique personality and characteristics that would continue to exist after death. In the Egyptian belief system, each person had a Ba that could travel between the living world and the afterlife, maintaining ties to both realms.

The other terms, while related to Egyptian beliefs about the soul, do not specifically denote the individual's essence in the same way. "Ka," for instance, refers to the life force that every individual possesses, crucial for one's existence and survival, but it is distinctly different from Ba. "Sarco" and "Kaos" do not have relevant connections to the ancient Egyptian concepts of the soul or spirit, making them less applicable to the question. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify the spiritual framework within which ancient Egyptians viewed life, death, and the afterlife.