What came after death? Norse mythology offered several possible realms. In Snorri's Gylfaginning, people who died of illness went to Hel, while those slain in battle could enter Valhalla or Fólkvangr, where Odin and Freyja chose among the dead. This was not a Christian-style judgment of virtue. Maya traditions commonly described the soul passing through Xibalba before rebirth. Zoroastrian eschatology judged deeds, leading to paradise or hell. Zoroastrian dualism is often compared with later Jewish and Christian afterlife ideas, but the extent of direct influence remains debated. Three traditions, three very different visions of death.
Norse, Maya and Zoroastrian afterlife beliefs compared
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Key facts
- Norse mythology described several afterlife realms rather than a Christian-style heaven-or-hell system based on moral deeds.
- Snorri's Gylfaginning associates Hel with those who died of illness and Valhalla or Fólkvangr with many who fell in battle; Odin and Freyja each chose among the battle dead.
- Maya traditions commonly describe the dead passing through Xibalba before rebirth, although details varied between communities and periods.
- Zoroastrian eschatology included judgment of deeds and final destinations of paradise or hell. Its influence on later Jewish and Christian concepts is debated and should not be presented as a simple line of descent.
Sources
Hel, Valhalla, and the Viking Afterlife: What the Norse Believed Aboutodinstreasures.com
For most Vikings, the journey after death led not to Valhalla or Fólkvangr, but to Helheim, ruled by the goddess Hel, daughter of Loki. Helheim ...
Valhalla Or Bust? Taking A Look At The Old Norse Afterlife [Part Ten]layofthenorthsea.wordpress.com
The actual hall belonging to the goddess Hel is described as being a “house so high” with the grave of a wise-woman, possibly the volva from ...
Hel (The Underworld) - Norse Mythology for Smart Peoplenorse-mythology.org
Hel (Old Norse Hel, “Hidden;” pronounced like the English word “Hell”) is the most general name for the underworld where many of the dead dwell.
Five Places You Might Go If You Died and Went to the Norse Afterlifepsychopomp.com
Another possible destination for the dead was the realm of Hel. Hel was the name of a place, and the name of its female ruler, often said to be Loki's daughter ...
Xibalbá and the Maya View of Death - Yucatán Todayyucatantoday.com
The realm of Xibalbá was governed by a powerful god known as Ah Puch who was also understood to be the personification of death.
Halls of the Dead - Valhalla, Helheim, and the Norse ...audible.com
Modern retellings often reduce the Norse Afterlife to a simple choice: brave warriors enter Valhalla, while everyone else is condemned to Hel.
Hel (location)en.wikipedia.org
Hel (Old Norse: is an afterlife location in Norse mythology and paganism. Valhalla, an afterlife 'hall of the slain' in Norse Mythology.
Helheimr - Assassin's Creed Wiki - Fandomassassinscreed.fandom.com
Helheimr fell into human folklore as one of the aspects of the afterlife in Norse mythology, [1] though its location in the Norse cosmos varied by author;
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