Research Article
Concepts and Iconography of Afterlife Judgment in the Religions of the Ancient West Asian Mediterranean Cultural Sphere
국립순천대학교
Published: March 2025 · No. 325 · pp. 141-171
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31065/kjah.325.202503.005
Full Text
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the concept of afterlife judgment and its iconographic representations as developed within the ancient West Asia-Mediterranean cultural sphere. In the afterlife beliefs of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Zoroastrianism, afterlife judgment functions as a central element, with the underworld serving as the designated realm of the dead, where the fate of the deceased is determined. Particularly in these cultures, the concept of afterlife judgment evolved beyond mere mythological motifs into a structured system of judgment, visually represented through symbolic imagery such as the river and bridge of the afterlife and the scales of judgment. In ancient Egypt, the weighing of the deceased’s heart against the feather of Ma’at determined their moral standing, while in Zoroastrianism, the Rashnu Scales measured human deeds quantitatively, establishing a visual icon of afterlife judgment. Over time, the concepts of the ‘river of the afterlife’ and the ‘bridge of judgment’ emerged, symbolizing the boundary between life and death. The Chinvat Bridge in Zoroastrianism functioned not only as a passage separating the living from the dead but also as the ultimate site of judgment, dividing souls between heaven and hell. These ideas were not confined to a single religious tradition but spread through cultural exchanges between East and West, as evidenced by various artistic representations. Notably, the presence of both the scales of judgment and the Chinvat Bridge in reliefs on Sogdian ossuaries in Central Asia serves as key evidence of the transmission of afterlife judgment concepts through transregional exchanges.
