Fate and destiny are integral concepts common to all cultures. For ancient people including Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Europeans and Chinese fate, destiny, death and afterlife connect to a universal mysticism.
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Grave goods are often used as indicators of afterlife belief, but there are other motivations. Reasons for objects placed in graves include as:
items to use in the Afterlife, if belief exists
items which might be cursed or contaminated, for example if the person dies of a sickness
items special to the dead person which should not be used by anyone else
In ancient Mesopotamia, Fate is the natural law dictating the course of human history through process of birth, death, and reincarnation. The concepts are symbolized by revolutions of a wheel. There is no judgment. The land of the dead in Mesopotamia is Kur.
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In ancient Egypt, the god of fate or destiny is Shai. He's the personification of human fate, and his name means, "that which is ordained." Fate of a person starts at birth. Shai decrees what will happen to each. The person is judged after death. The Egyptian afterlife is Aaru.
To proto-German and Germanic tribes fate is predetermined. When the time comes for a person to die it happens. They believe in a life after death to the extent that grave goods are placed in burial pits with the corpse, perhaps for future use.
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In Celtic paganism, the people believe in a pre-determined fate. The ancient Celts arise from various tribal groups in parts of west and central Europe in the Late Bronze Age and through the Iron Age to c. 500 BCE.
In Germany the names of River Rhine (Renos) and Neckar (root nekk, wild fellow, nixie) are based on the Celtic terms. For many people water is a spiritual connection to realms of the dead.
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In Greek myth, the Fates are divine personifications of birth, life and death of humanity. To ancient Greeks, actions of humans are predestined. People have free will, but the Fates know the ultimate choices of each. The soul may be judged. The Greek afterlife is Hades.
Early Greeks, the Bronze Age Minoans center on Crete and nearby islands. They're thought to believe in afterlife as bodies are interred rather than cremated. The practices of burial and cremation tend to alternate or trend among societies through time.
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The Hittites create complex rituals around the living, and may have believed in an afterlife. The Underworld or Dark Earth is a place of spirits, demons, gods of groundwater and vegetation, ruled by Underworld Goddess Lelwani. There's no judgment.
The Norse build an intertwined belief system involving afterlife sites Valhalla and Hel. These concepts first appear in the Prose Edda, a compilation of writings by Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson c. 1220 CE.
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The stories are based on folk tales brought by Vikings who first settle Iceland in 874 CE. Three and a half centuries later they're used to add interest to the Prose Edda, which is originally intended as a primer for poets. The dead are judged by Valkyrie selection.
To ancient Israelites, all events including fate are willed by Yahweh. A person can still choose between good and evil for benevolence of the god. In the 1st century BCE, the three main Jewish sects, Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes, disagree on this concept.
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Necromancy entwines with prophecy when the dead come to life. The Witch of Endor famously summons the soul of Samuel c. 1020 BCE. King Saul, who himself has banished necromancy, is desperate for prophecy of the upcoming battle. It doesn't go well.
For the Greco-Romans of antiquity, fate is determined but can be changed. Romans are firm believers in augury. In the time of Nero (r. 54-68) so many people seek to know his date of demise, Nero bans divination entirely, with a death sentence to any who partake.
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In Chinese philosophy 天命, "heavenly mandate" or "divine decree," refers to the idea of higher power or universe predetermining one's fate. From Korea comes the proverb "Even simply brushing clothes with someone is fate" (옷깃만 스쳐도 인연).
In ancient Japan, every human has a reikon which roughly refers to a spirit or soul. During life reikon is in the human body, and departs after death. It goes to purgatory, where it remains until appropriate funeral rites are given the deceased.
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Some people in Japan believe in reincarnation, a concept shared by Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism. Almost half the followers of these doctrines believe in reincarnation.
Christians, who are monotheistic, have a strong belief in the afterlife. While God lays out the master plan of humanity, individuals choose the path based on their own decisions. When they die they go to Heaven (good) or Hell (bad).
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Another monotheistic religion is that of the Shona people centered on Mwari (God). Mwari communicates with his people on earth directly, or through chosen members of each family believed to be holy people. Some of the chosen have powers of prophecy and healing.
Shona belief and customs go back thousands of years. During life, people follow a culture of unhu or set of guidelines, so they don't become bad spirits after death. Death is not seen as a loss or ending. Overall, if people live a good life they enjoy the afterlife.