Conceptions of the Afterlife in Early Civilizations: Universalism, Constructivism and Near-Death Experience (Bloomsbury Advances in Religious Studies)

In an original and innovative piece of comparative research, Gregory Shushan analyses afterlife conceptions in five ancient civilisations (Old and Middle Kingdom Egypt, Sumerian and Old Babylonian Mesopotamia, Vedic India, pre-Buddhist China, and pre-Columbian Mesoamerica). These are considered in light of historical and contemporary reports of near-death experiences, and shamanic afterlife 'journeys'. Conceptions of the Afterlife in Early Civilizations is a significant study, for it presents a comprehensive new comparative framework for the cross-cultural study of myth and religion, while at the same time providing a fascinating exploration of the interface between belief and experience - as well as a challenge to post-modern scholarly attitudes concerning cross-cultural comparisons in the study of religions.  The book was nominated for the 2011 Grawemeyer Award.