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Description
Another illustration of Mesopotamian mythology. This time I illustrated a scene of the Mesopotamian afterlife or underworld.

The Netherworld/Underworld in Mesopotamian mythology was a dark and scary place filled with great suffering and pain. Gidim or souls of dead humans live in perpetual darkness. They are naked apart from bird feathers, and are forever cursed to starve and thirst. These souls would fill their stomachs with dust just to ease their hunger. Evil spirits and demons would torment these unfortunate souls incessantly. Peasants and Kings, rich and poor, good and bad are all condemned to this same "Hell". This awful fate was that of the entirety of humanity in Mesopotamian mythology and the gidim of Enkidu escapes the underworld temporarily to warn Gilgamesh of the horrors of the afterlife that await us all, jump-starting Gilgamesh's journey to achieve immortality.
It appears that these ancient religions and belief systems about the afterlife built much of the groundwork for later Christianity in the form of Hell.

Happy Halloween!

Description
Another illustration of Mesopotamian mythology. This time I illustrated a scene of the Mesopotamian afterlife or underworld.

The Netherworld/Underworld in Mesopotamian mythology was a dark and scary place filled with great suffering and pain. Gidim or souls of dead humans live in perpetual darkness. They are naked apart from bird feathers, and are forever cursed to starve and thirst. These souls would fill their stomachs with dust just to ease their hunger. Evil spirits and demons would torment these unfortunate souls incessantly. Peasants and Kings, rich and poor, good and bad are all condemned to this same "Hell". This awful fate was that of the entirety of humanity in Mesopotamian mythology and the gidim of Enkidu escapes the underworld temporarily to warn Gilgamesh of the horrors of the afterlife that await us all, jump-starting Gilgamesh's journey to achieve immortality.
It appears that these ancient religions and belief systems about the afterlife built much of the groundwork for later Christianity in the form of Hell.

Happy Halloween!