Essay On Afterlife

The afterlife, or life after death, was a rather common belief among people living in ancient civilizations. In areas such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Israel, people had differing perceptions of the afterlife; although, they shared much more similarities. While some civilizations generally held an optimistic view of the afterlife, others held a more dark and gloomy view of it. But from the mummification process down to the netherworlds, there is no doubt that the beliefs of these three ancient civilizations did in fact have huge influences on one another.
The Egyptians were most notable for their obsession with life after death (Segal 45). They cherished life and placed great emphasis on the afterlife. The Egyptians spent most of their life
After death, the etemmu, or spirits of the dead, would set out on their journey to the netherworld. In order to reach the city of the dead, the etemmu had to pass through a demon-infested land and cross the Khubur River. When the etemmu arrived at its destination, it had to pass through seven gatekeepers who were guarding seven walls. At the gate, the dead had to give up all their possessions. The Mesopotamians believed that this same path was taken by babies to be born and by the dead to visit their families for remembrance rites (Segal 95). The Mesopotamian journey to the afterlife seems to be closely related to the Egyptian journey, where the dead had to pass the seven gates guarded by gatekeepers. They both weren’t all too pleasant either.
The Mesopotamian afterlife could be compared to imprisonment, where the relatives were responsible for taking care of the prisoner. In order to sustain in the afterlife, the dead had to be given offerings because if prisoners were not well taken care of, they would escape and cause harm to the living in the form of evil spirits or ghosts. These rituals were done monthly and it was a way for the dead and the living to interact with each other. By keeping the prisoners happy, in return for the offerings, the dead would help the living by providing rain, protection, and increase to