For as long as humans have roamed the earth, death has been a part of human society and culture. It is an inevitable aspect of existence that we all must face one day, but the way death is treated and depicted varies greatly across cultures and history.
Thanatos
Thanatos, the Greek deity of death, was the son of Nyx and Erebus, the goddesses and gods of night and darkness. However, he was a deity of peaceful death, and he escorted mortals away from the living world with the same delicacy and quietness as his parents.
Yama
The Hindu god Yama, who is frequently represented riding on the back of a bull, personifies death. Yama is both the messenger of death and the judge of a person’s behavior while alive.
The Banshee
The Banshee, now a popular feature in horror stories all across the world, is actually indigenous to Ireland. The term “banshee” comes from the Irish term baintsíde, which roughly translates to “woman of the fairy mound.” In old Irish stories, she is the harbinger of death.
The Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper is unquestionably the most famous and instantly identifiable representation of death. Throughout the Middle Ages, the eerie figure—always shrouded in shadow and bearing a scythe and sometimes a lantern—has been a common representation of death throughout Europe.
La Calavera Catrina
The Day of the Dead festivities in Mexico are well-known worldwide. One of the most frequently featured characters in the pageantry and parades is La Calavera Catrina, also known as “The Skull Catrina.” Although Catrina’s origins can be traced to the Aztecs, her vivid and colorful portrayal of death was heavily influenced by a 19th-century painting by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada.
Shinigami
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In Japanese folk mythology, shinigami are spirits, not necessarily malicious or evil, that coax humans towards death and the underworld when it is time for them to pass.
King Yanlo
King Yanlo is the head of the Ten Kings of Hell in Chinese Buddhism. In addition to ruling Hell, King Yanlo is in charge of all the recently deceased people who come before him and their judgments.