Death and the afterlife : a cultural encyclopedia

This vast compendium of information contains hundreds of entries on the sometimes obscure, complicated, and mysterious (but always fascinating) funeral customs of dozens of cultures. Topics cover the burial and afterlife customs of China, the Greco-Roman world, India, the Near East, ancient Israel, the Iron Age Celts, Africa, Native Americans, Lapps, Islamic countries, modern Western society, and many other ancient and contemporary cultures. More than a gathering of information, this essential reference draws out the underlying meaning of funeral and afterlife traditions. It makes available a variety of human responses to that most fundamental reality of life: death. Cover 1 Death and the Afterlife 4 PREFACE 10 A 12 AARU (SEKHET-AARU) 12 ABHIRATI 13 ACHERON 14 AEDICULA 14 AKSOBHYA 14 AL-A’RAF 16 AMERETAT (AMARDAD) 17 AMPHORA 17 AMULETS, EGYPTIAN 17 ANCESTOR VENERATION 20 ANCESTRAL PORTRAIT/BUST 22 ANINUT 23 ANKOU 24 ANNWFN (ANNWN, ANNWFYN) 24 ANTHESTERIA 25 AORNUS 27 ARCOSOLIUM 27 ARENARIUM 27 ARUPA-DHATU 28 ASPHODEL FIELDS 28 ATMAN 29 AVALON (AVALLON, AVILION) 30 AVELUT 33 AVERNUS 33 B 36 BALDACCHINO TOMB 36 BANSHEE 36 BARDO 36 BARROW 37 BARZAKH 39 BEHESHT 41 BHAVA-CHAKRA 42 BHUT (BHUTA) 44 BLACK DEATH 47 BODY OF LIGHT 50 BON FESTIVAL (JAPAN) 50 BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 50 BOOK OF THE DEAD, EGYPTIAN 51 BOOK OF THE DEAD, TIBETAN (BARDO THÖDOL) 53 BURIAL 55 BURIAL, BASKET 58 BURIAL CLOTHES 58 BURIAL, SCAFFOLD 58 BURIAL, SHIP 60 BURIAL, SKY 63 BURIAL, TREE 63 C 66 CAIRN 66 CANOPIC JAR, CHEST 66 CATACOMB 68 CELLA 69 CEMETERY 69 CEMETERY, ANIMAL 72 CENOTAPH 73 CEPOTAPHIUM (CEPOTAFIUM) 73 CERBERUS 73 CHEVRA KADDISHA 75 CHING-T’U 75 CHINVAT BRIDGE 77 CHÖD (TIBETAN SPELLING: gCOD) 78 CHUREL 78 CINERARIUM 79 CIPPUS 80 COCYTUS 80 COFFIN 80 COFFINS, EGYPTIAN 81 COLUMBARIUM 83 COMMITTAL SERVICE 83 CONCLAMATIO MORTIS 84 CONSECRATION SERVICE 84 CREMAINS 85 CREMATION 85 CROMLECH 87 CROSSROADS 87 CUBICULUM TOMB 90 D 92 DAGOBA 92 DANCE OF DEATH 92 DANSE MACABRE 94 DEAD, THE 94 DEATH, GOOD 96 DEVACHAN (THEOSOPHICAL) 99 DEWACHAN (TIBETAN BUDDHIST) 100 DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS 100 DILMUN 101 DIS (DIS PATER) 102 DOLMEN 103 DONN 103 DOZAKH 104 DYSSER 104 E 106 EIDOLON 106 ELYSION (ELYSIUM) 106 EREBUS 107 ERESH 108 ERINYS (PLURAL ERINYES) 108 EUMENIDES 109 EXEDRA 109 F 110 Fairy Mound 110 FEBRUARY 112 FENG-SHUI 113 FESTIVAL OF GHOSTS (CHINA) 113 FETCH 117 FOSSORES (FOSSARII) 117 FRASHO-KERETI (FRASHEN KERENAUM AHUM) 118 FRAVARDIGAN 119 FRAVASHI (FAROHAR) 120 FUNERARY CUSTOMS 120 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, AFRICAN 123 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, ANCIENT EGYPTIAN 125 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, ANCIENT GREEK 127 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, ANCIENT INDIAN 128 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, ANCIENT ROMAN 129 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, ARCTIC EURASIAN 131 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, CELTIC 133 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, CENTRAL ASIAN 136 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, CHINESE 136 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, CHRISTIAN 139 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, ETRUSCAN 142 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, HINDU 143 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, JEWISH 146 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, LAPP 149 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, MESOPOTAMIAN 151 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, MUSLIM 152 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN 155 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, SCANDINAVIAN 159 FUNERARY CUSTOMS, ZOROASTRIAN 161 FYLGIE (FYLGJA) 163 G 164 GAMES, FUNERAL (GREEK) 164 GAMES, FUNERAL (IRISH) 164 GARDEN, FUNERARY 165 GARDENS OF DELIGHT (JANNAT AL-NA’IM) 165 GEHENNA 169 GIMLÉ (GIMLI) 170 H 172 HADES 172 HALLOWE’EN 174 HAMESTEGAN 175 HEAVEN, HISTORY OF (CHRISTIAN) 175 HEAVEN, ORIGINS OF (CHRISTIAN) 178 HEAVENS, BUDDHIST 181 HEL 183 HELL, HISTORY OF (CHRISTIAN) 184 HELL, ORIGINS OF (CHRISTIAN) 188 HELLS, BUDDHIST 191 HISAB 194 HOUSE TOMB 195 HUNGRY GHOST 196 HYPOCEPHALUS 197 HYPOGEUM 198 I 200 IBLIS 200 INTERCESSION 202 ISLANDS OF THE BLEST 204 ISRAFIL 206 ‘IZRA’IL 206 J 208 JABMEAIMO (JAMIAIMO, JAMIKASAIMO) 208 JAHANNAM 209 JIZO 212 JODO 214 JUDGMENT, LAST 215 JUDGMENT, PARTICULAR 217 K 220 KADDISH 220 KAMA-DHATU 221 KAMALOKA 224 KAMARUPA 224 KER (PLURAL KERES) 226 KERI’AH 226 KIGAL 227 KSITIGARBHA 228 KURGAN 229 L 232 LEMURIA 232 LETHE 232 LOCULUS TOMB 233 LUCERNARIUM/LUMINARIUM 233 M 236 MAG MELL 236 MARA 237 MASTABA 239 MAUSOLEUM 240 MAUSOLEUM, ISLAMIC 241 MCHOD RTEN 243 MEGALITHIC TOMB 244 MENSA 245 MET MITZVAH 245 MORRIGAN (MÓR-RÍOGHAIN, MÓRRÍGU) 246 MOT (MAWET) 246 MOUND 247 MUMMIFICATION 248 N 252 AL-NAR 252 NARAKA 252 NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE 254 NECROMANCY 256 NETHERWORLDS, CHINESE 258 NIFLHEIM (NIFLHEIMR, NIFLHEL) 260 NIRMANAKAYA 260 NIRVANA (PALI: NIBBANA) 260 NORNS 264 O 266 ODIN (O∂INN) 266 ORCUS 268 OSIRIS BED 268 OSSUARY 269 OTHERWORLD, IRISH 269 P 274 PALL 274 PARADISE 274 PARENTALIA (DIES PARENTALES) 277 PATALA 278 PERSEPHONE 279 PHLEGETHON (PYRIPHLEGETHON) 279 PISHACHA 280 PIT GRAVES, EARLY EGYPTIAN 280 PITRI 281 PITRILOKA 282 PITRI-MEDHA 282 PLUTO (PLUTUS) 283 POLTERGEIST 283 POOKA (PHOOKA, PUCK) 284 PRET (PRETA, PETA) 285 PURE LAND 286 PURGATORY 288 PYRAMID, EGYPTIAN 291 Q 296 QIYAMA (KIYAMA) 296 R 300 RAGNARÖK 300 RAKSASA 302 RED 304 REFRIGERIUM 305 REFRIGERIUM INTERIM 306 REINCARNATION, EASTERN 306 REINCARNATION, TRIBAL 309 REINCARNATION, WESTERN 310 RELIQUARY 313 REPHA’IM 314 RESERVE HEAD/BODY 314 RESURRECTION, ANCIENT NEAR EAST 315 RESURRECTION, CHRISTIAN 318 RESURRECTION, HEBREW 320 RISTAKHEZ 322 ROTA (RUTA) 323 RUPA-DHATU 323 S 326 SA’A 326 SALLEKHANA (JAINA) 328 SAMHAIN (SAMHUINN) 328 SECOND DEATH 330 SHABTI (USHABTI, SHAWABTI) 331 SHELOSHIM 332 SHEOL 333 SHIRAT (AL-SHIRAT AL-JAHIM) 334 SHIVA (HINDU) 335 SHIVA (JEWISH) 337 SHOMER 339 SHRADDHA 339 SHROUD 342 SÍD 342 THE SIX HEAVENS 343 SLEEP 343 SOTOBA 346 SOUL 346 SOUL, BUDDHIST 350 SOUL, CHINESE 353 SOUL, EGYPTIAN 355 SOUL, GREEK 357 SOUL, HINDU 359 SOUL, JEWISH 361 SOUL, MUSLIM 364 SOUL, PERSIAN 367 SOUL TABLET 368 SOUL, THEOSOPHICAL 368 SOUL, ZOROASTRIAN 370 STRIGOÏ 371 STUPA 372 STYX 374 SUKHAVATI 375 SVARGA 377 T 380 TAISCH 380 TAJ MAHAL 380 TARTAROS 382 TEMPLE TOMB 384 TEN KINGS OF HELL (SHIH-WANG) 384 THOLOS TOMB 385 TI-TSANG 386 TOHORAH (TAHARAH) 387 TOMBE DI GIGANTI 388 TOWER OF SILENCE 388 TOWER TOMB 389 TUATHA DÉ DANANN 390 TUMULUS 391 U 394 UNDEAD 394 UNDERWORLD 396 URN 399 V 400 VALHALLA (VALHÖLL) 400 VALKYRIE 401 VAMPIRE 402 VRYKOLAKAS 406 W 408 WATER 408 Y 412 YAHRZEIT 412 YAMA 412 YELLOW SPRINGS (HUANG-CH’UAN) 414 YEN-LO WANG 415 YIZKOR 416 BIBLIOGRAPHY 418 INDEX 432 A Cross-cultural Look At Beliefs Surrounding Death, Burial Customs, And The Afterlife. Aaru (sekhet-aaru) -- Abhirati -- Acheron -- Aedicula -- Aksobhya -- Al-a'raf -- Ameretat (amardad) -- Amphora -- Amulets, Egyptian -- Ancestor Veneration -- Ancestral Portrait/bust -- Aninut -- Ankou -- Annwfn (annwn, Annwfyn) -- Anthesteria -- Aornus -- Arcosolium -- Arenarium -- Arupa-dhatu -- Asphodel Fields -- Atman -- Avalon (avallon, Avilion) -- Avelut -- Avernus -- Baldacchino Tomb -- Banshee -- Bardo -- Barrow -- Barzakh -- Behesht -- Bhava-chakra -- Bhut (bhuta) -- Black Death -- Body Of Light -- Bon Festival (japan) -- Book Of The Craft Of Dying -- Book Of The Dead, Egyptian -- Book Of The Dead, Tibetan (bardo Thodol) -- Burial -- Burial, Basket -- Burial Clothes -- Burial, Scaffold -- Burial, Ship -- Burial, Sky -- Burial, Tree -- Cairn -- Canopic Jar, Chest -- Catacomb -- Cella -- Cemetery -- Cemetery, Animal -- Cenotaph -- Cerberus -- Chevra Kaddisha -- Ching-t'u -- Chinvat Bridge -- Chod (tibetan Spelling: Gcod) -- Churel -- Cinerarium -- Cippus -- Cocytus --^ Coffin -- Coffins, Egyptian -- Columbarium -- Committal Service -- Conclamatio Mortis -- Consecration Service -- Cremains -- Cremation -- Cromlech -- Crossroads -- Cubiculum Tomb -- Dagoba -- Dance Of Death -- Danse Macabre -- Dead, The -- Death, Good -- Devachan (theosophical) -- Dewachan (tibetan Buddhist) -- Dia De Los Muertos -- Dilmun -- Dis (dis Pater) -- Dolmen -- Donn -- Dozakh -- Eidolon -- Elysion (elysium) -- Erebus -- Eresh -- Erinys (plural Erinyes) -- Eumenides -- Exedra -- Fairy Mound -- February -- Feng-shui -- Festival Of Ghosts (china) -- Fetch -- Fossores (fossarii) -- Frasho-kereti (frashen Kerenaum Ahum) -- Fravardigan -- Fravashi (farohar) -- Funerary Customs -- Funerary Customs, African -- Funerary Customs, Ancient Egyptian -- Funerary Customs, Ancient Greek -- Funerary Customs, Ancient Indian -- Funerary Customs, Ancient Roman -- Funerary Customs, Arctic Eurasian -- Funerary Customs, Celtic -- Funerary Customs, Central Asian -- Funerary Customs, Chinese --^ Funerary Customs, Christian -- Funerary Customs, Etruscan -- Funerary Customs, Hindu -- Funerary Customs, Jewish -- Funerary Customs, Lapp -- Funerary Customs, Mesopotamian -- Funerary Customs, Muslim -- Funerary Customs, Native North American -- Funerary Customs, Scandinavian -- Funerary Customs, Zoroastrian -- Fylgie (fylgja) -- Games, Funeral (greek) -- Games, Funeral (irish) -- Garden, Funerary -- Gardens Of Delight (jannat Al-na'im) -- Gehenna -- Gimle (gimli) -- Hades -- Hallowe'en -- Hamestegan -- Heaven, History Of (christian) -- Heaven, Origins Of (christian) -- Heavens, Buddhist -- Hel -- Hell, History Of (christian) -- Hell, Origins Of (christian) -- Hells, Buddhist -- Hisab -- House Tomb -- Hungry Ghost -- Hypocephalus -- Hypogeum -- Iblis -- Intercession -- Islands Of The Blest -- Israfil -- 'izra'il -- Jabmeaimo (jamiaimo, Jamikasaimo) -- Jahannam -- Jizo -- Jodo -- Judgment, Last -- Judgment, Particular -- Kaddish -- Kama-dhatu -- Kamaloka -- Kamarupa --^ Ker (plural Keres) -- Keri'ah -- Kigal -- Ksitigarbha -- Kurgan -- Lemuria -- Lethe -- Loculus Tomb -- Lucernarium/luminarium -- Mag Mell -- Mara -- Mastaba -- Mausoleum -- Mausoleum, Islamic -- Mchod Rten -- Megalithic Tomb -- Mensa -- Met Mitzvah -- Morrigan (mor-rioghain, Morrigu) -- Mot (mawet) -- Mound -- Mummification -- Naraka -- Near-death Experience -- Necromancy -- Netherworlds, Chinese -- Niflheim (niflheimr, Niflhel) -- Nirmanakaya -- Nirvana (pali: Nibbana) -- Norns -- Odin (ochinn) -- Orcus -- Osiris Bed -- Ossuary -- Otherworld, Irish -- Pall -- Paradise -- Parentalia (dies Parentales) -- Patala -- Persephone -- Phlegethon (pyriphlegethon) -- Pishacha -- Pit Graves, Early Egyptian -- Pitri -- Pitriloka -- Pitri-medha -- Pluto (plutus) -- Poltergeist -- Pooka (phooka, Puck) -- Pret (preta, Peta) -- Pure Land -- Purgatory -- Pyramid, Egyptian -- Qiyama (kiyama) -- Ragnarok -- Raksasa -- Red -- Refrigerium -- Refrigerium Interim -- Reincarnation, Eastern --^ Reincarnation, Tribal -- Reincarnation, Western -- Reliquary -- Repha'im -- Reserve Head/body -- Resurrection, Ancient Near East -- Resurrection, Christian -- Resurrection, Hebrew -- Ristakhez -- Rota (ruta) -- Rupa-dhatu -- Sa'a -- Sallekhana (jaina) -- Samhain (samhuinn) -- Second Death -- Shabti (ushabti, Shawabti) -- Sheloshim -- Sheol -- Shirat (al-shirat Al-jahim) -- Shiva (hindu) -- Shiva (jewish) -- Shomer -- Shraddha -- Shroud -- Sid -- The Six Heavens -- Sleep -- Soul -- Soul, Buddhist -- Soul, Chinese -- Soul, Egyptian -- Soul, Greek -- Soul, Hindu -- Soul, Jewish -- Soul, Muslim -- Soul, Persian -- Soul Tablet -- Soul, Theosophical -- Soul, Zoroastrian -- Strigoi -- Stupa -- Styx -- Sukhavati -- Svarga -- Taj Mahal -- Tartaros -- Temple Tomb -- Ten Kings Of Hell (shih-wang) -- Tholos Tomb -- Ti-tsang -- Tohorah (taharah) -- Tower Of Silence -- Tower Tomb -- Tuatha De Danann -- Tumulus -- Undead -- Underworld -- Urn -- Valhalla (valholl) -- Valkyrie -- Vampire --^ Vrykolakas -- Water -- Yahrzeit -- Yama -- Yellow Springs (huang-ch'uan) -- Yen-lo Wang -- Yizkor. Richard P. Taylor. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 407-420) And Index. Content: Aaru (Sekhet-Aaru) -- Abhirati -- Acheron -- Aedicula -- Aksobhya -- Al-a'raf -- Ameretat (Amardad) -- Amphora -- Amulets, Egyptian -- Ancestor Veneration -- Ancestral Portrait/Bust -- Aninut -- Ankou -- Annwfn (Annwn, Annwfyn) -- Anthesteria -- Aornus -- Arcosolium -- Arenarium -- Arupa-dhatu -- Asphodel Fields -- Atman -- Avalon (Avallon, Avilion) -- Avelut -- Avernus -- Baldacchino Tomb -- Banshee -- Bardo -- Barrow -- Barzakh -- Behesht -- Bhava-chakra -- Bhut (Bhuta) -- Black Death -- Body of Light -- Bon Festival (Japan) -- Book of the Craft of Dying -- Book of the Dead, Egyptian -- Book of the Dead, Tibetan (Bardo Thodol) -- Burial -- Burial, Basket -- Burial Clothes -- Burial, Scaffold -- Burial, Ship -- Burial, Sky -- Burial, Tree -- Cairn -- Canopic Jar, Chest -- Catacomb -- Cella -- Cemetery -- Cemetery, Animal -- Cenotaph -- Cerberus -- Chevra Kaddisha -- Ching-T'u -- Chinvat Bridge -- Chod (Tibetan spelling: gCod) -- Churel -- Cinerarium -- Cippus -- Cocytus -- Coffin -- Coffins, Egyptian -- Columbarium -- Committal Service -- Conclamatio Mortis -- Consecration Service -- Cremains -- Cremation -- Cromlech -- Crossroads -- Cubiculum Tomb -- Dagoba -- Dance of Death -- Danse Macabre -- Dead, The -- Death, Good -- Devachan (Theosophical) -- Dewachan (Tibetan Buddhist) -- Dia de los Muertos -- Dilmun -- Dis (Dis Pater) -- Dolmen -- Donn -- Dozakh -- Eidolon -- Elysion (Elysium) -- Erebus -- Eresh -- Erinys (plural Erinyes) -- Eumenides -- Exedra -- Fairy Mound -- February -- Feng-shui -- Festival of Ghosts (China) -- Fetch -- Fossores (Fossarii) -- Frasho-kereti (Frashen kerenaum ahum) -- Fravardigan -- Fravashi (Farohar) -- Funerary Customs -- Funerary Customs, African -- Funerary Customs, Ancient Egyptian -- Funerary Customs, Ancient Greek -- Funerary Customs, Ancient Indian -- Funerary Customs, Ancient Roman -- Funerary Customs, Arctic Eurasian -- Funerary Customs, Celtic -- Funerary Customs, Central Asian -- Funerary Customs, Chinese -- Funerary Customs, Christian -- Funerary Customs, Etruscan -- Funerary Customs, Hindu -- Funerary Customs, Jewish -- Funerary Customs, Lapp -- Funerary Customs, Mesopotamian -- Funerary Customs, Muslim -- Funerary Customs, Native North American -- Funerary Customs, Scandinavian -- Funerary Customs, Zoroastrian -- Fylgie (Fylgja) -- Games, Funeral (Greek) -- Games, Funeral (Irish) -- Garden, Funerary -- Gardens of Delight (Jannat al-Na'im) -- Gehenna -- Gimle (Gimli) -- Hades -- Hallowe'en -- Hamestegan -- Heaven, History of (Christian) -- Heaven, Origins of (Christian) -- Heavens, Buddhist -- Hel -- Hell, History of (Christian) -- Hell, Origins of (Christian) -- Hells, Buddhist -- Hisab -- House Tomb -- Hungry Ghost -- Hypocephalus -- Hypogeum -- Iblis -- Intercession -- Islands of the Blest -- Israfil -- 'Izra'il -- Jabmeaimo (Jamiaimo, Jamikasaimo) -- Jahannam -- Jizo -- Jodo -- Judgment, Last -- Judgment, Particular -- Kaddish -- Kama-dhatu -- Kamaloka -- Kamarupa -- Ker (plural Keres) -- Keri'ah -- Kigal -- Ksitigarbha -- Kurgan -- Lemuria -- Lethe -- Loculus Tomb -- Lucernarium/Luminarium -- Mag Mell -- Mara -- Mastaba -- Mausoleum -- Mausoleum, Islamic -- mChod rten -- Megalithic Tomb -- Mensa -- Met Mitzvah -- Morrigan (Mor-Rioghain, Morrigu) -- Mot (Mawet) -- Mound -- Mummification -- Naraka -- Near-Death Experience -- Necromancy -- Netherworlds, Chinese -- Niflheim (Niflheimr, Niflhel) -- Nirmanakaya -- Nirvana (Pali: Nibbana) -- Norns -- Odin (Ochinn) -- Orcus -- Osiris Bed -- Ossuary -- Otherworld, Irish -- Pall -- Paradise -- Parentalia (Dies Parentales) -- Patala -- Persephone -- Phlegethon (Pyriphlegethon) -- Pishacha -- Pit Graves, Early Egyptian -- Pitri -- Pitriloka -- Pitri-medha -- Pluto (Plutus) -- Poltergeist -- Pooka (Phooka, Puck) -- Pret (Preta, Peta) -- Pure Land -- Purgatory -- Pyramid, Egyptian -- Qiyama (Kiyama) -- Ragnarok -- Raksasa -- Red -- Refrigerium -- Refrigerium Interim -- Reincarnation, Eastern -- Reincarnation, Tribal -- Reincarnation, Western -- Reliquary -- Repha'im -- Reserve Head/Body -- Resurrection, Ancient Near East -- Resurrection, Christian -- Resurrection, Hebrew -- Ristakhez -- Rota (Ruta) -- Rupa-dhatu -- Sa'a -- Sallekhana (Jaina) -- Samhain (Samhuinn) -- Second Death -- Shabti (Ushabti, Shawabti) -- Sheloshim -- Sheol -- Shirat (al-Shirat al-Jahim) -- Shiva (Hindu) -- Shiva (Jewish) -- Shomer -- Shraddha -- Shroud -- Sid -- The Six Heavens -- Sleep -- Soul -- Soul, Buddhist -- Soul, Chinese -- Soul, Egyptian -- Soul, Greek -- Soul, Hindu -- Soul, Jewish -- Soul, Muslim -- Soul, Persian -- Soul Tablet -- Soul, Theosophical -- Soul, Zoroastrian -- Strigoi -- Stupa -- Styx -- Sukhavati -- Svarga -- Taj Mahal -- Tartaros -- Temple Tomb -- Ten Kings of Hell (Shih-wang) -- Tholos Tomb -- Ti-tsang -- Tohorah (Taharah) -- Tower of Silence -- Tower Tomb -- Tuatha De Danann -- Tumulus -- Undead -- Underworld -- Urn -- Valhalla (Valholl) -- Valkyrie -- Vampire -- Vrykolakas -- Water -- Yahrzeit -- Yama -- Yellow Springs (Huang-ch'uan) -- Yen-lo wang -- Yizkor. This cultural encyclopedia examines customs and beliefs relating to death and burial in clear, well written articles covering most major religious and cultural traditions from prehistoric to modern times. Readers of Death and the A Cultural Encyclopedia will find that spending time with death is life-giving in most cultures today and throughout history. The Underworld, whether the Greek Hades or the Chinese Yellow Springs, is not just a repository of the dead, but the source of fertility, wealth, and hidden wisdom bestowed only upon the adventurous who cross the border between this world and the next. This comprehensive reference work contains hundreds of entries on the sometimes obscure, complicated, and mysterious (but always fascinating) funeral customs of dozens of cultures. More than a gathering of information, this reference draws out the underlying meaning of funeral and afterlife traditions. Each entry is extensively documented and includes the insights of thoughtful native authors and commentaries directly related to the cultural topic at hand. A topic finder by culture, a bibliography, an index, and primary source references are included.