Chapter 1
Wings, scales, and scales of justice
Chapter 2
Dogs, owls, and butterflies of the Americas
Chapter 3
Guardians of the Eastern realms
Chapter 4
Valkyries and wailing spirits of Northern Europe
Ch 1 · Wings, scales, and scales of justice
schopenhauer Archangel Michael
With soaring wings and polished scale-clad mail, he weighs the souls of mortals on his scale.
schopenhauer Charon required a coin payment to row dead souls across the underworld rivers.
Fun Fact
Anubis masks: Ancient Egyptian embalmers wore heavy clay masks shaped like jackals to physically channel the guiding spirit of Anubis during rituals.
schopenhauer The jackal-headed Egyptian god Anubis guided souls through their final, fateful judgment.
Glossary
psychostasia (noun)
The mythological weighing of a deceased person's soul to determine their fate in the afterlife. Medieval artwork often depicts the winged archangel Michael performing this ritual while vanquishing a scaled dragon.
The mythological weighing of a deceased person's soul to determine their fate in the afterlife. Medieval artwork often depicts the winged archangel Michael performing this ritual while vanquishing a scaled dragon.
Quiz
How long did unpaid souls have to wait on the riverbanks according to Greek myth?
BETA
schopenhauer Match mythical soul guides with their stories to discover how different cultures pictured the afterlife.
Quiz
Which Greek god used a golden staff and winged sandals to guide souls to the underworld?
Quiz
In Egyptian mythology, which jackal-headed deity guided souls to the weighing of the heart?
Quiz
What coin did ancient Greeks place in a deceased person's mouth to pay Charon?
Quiz
In ancient Egypt, what did Anubis weigh a human heart against during judgment?
Quiz
In Yoruba religion, which goddess of winds and lightning guards the cemetery gates?