Underworld
The underworld is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld.
The concept of an underworld is found in almost every civilization and "may be as old as humanity itself". Common features of underworld myths are accounts of living people making journeys to the underworld, often for some heroic purpose. Other myths reinforce traditions that entrance of souls to the underworld requires a proper observation of ceremony, such as the ancient Greek story of the recently dead Patroclus haunting Achilles until his body could be properly buried for this purpose. Persons having social status were dressed and equipped in order to better navigate the underworld.
A number of mythologies incorporate the concept of the soul of the deceased making its own journey to the underworld, with the dead needing to be taken across a defining obstacle such as a lake or a river to reach this destination. Imagery of such journeys can be found in both ancient and modern art. The descent to the underworld has been described as "the single most important myth for Modernist authors".
By religion
This list includes underworlds in various religious traditions, with links to corresponding articles.| Albanian mythology | Ferri |
| Aztec mythology | Mictlan |
| Mesopotamian mythology | Irkalla |
| Buddhism | Patala, Naraka |
| Celtic mythology | Annwn, Mag Mell |
| Chinese mythology / taoism | Diyu :zh:地獄|地獄 |
| Christianity | Hell, Tártaro, Purgatory |
| Egyptian mythology | Aaru, Duat, Neter-khertet, Amenti |
| Estonian mythology | Toonela |
| Fijian mythology | Burotu, Murimuria |
| Finnish mythology | Tuonela |
| Georgian mythology | Kveskneli |
| Germanic mythology | Hel, Niflheim |
| Greek mythology | Elysium, Asphodel Meadows, Tártaros |
| Guanche mythology | Echeide, Guayota |
| Hinduism | Patala, Naraka or Yamaloka |
| Hittite mythology | Dankuš daganzipaš/Dankuš tekan |
| Hopi mythology | Maski |
| Hungarian mythology | Alvilág |
| Inca mythology | Uku Pacha |
| Inuit mythology | Adlivun |
| Jain mythology | Naraka, Adho Loka |
| Japanese mythology/Shinto | Yomi 黄泉, Ne-no-Kuni 根の国, Jigoku 地獄 |
| Judaism | Sheol, Gehenna, Abaddon, Tehom, Tophet, Tzoah Rotachat, Dudael |
| Korean mythology | "Ji-Ok" 지옥 地獄 |
| Latvian mythology | Aizsaule |
| Lithuanian mythology | Anapilis |
| Malay mythology | Alam Ghaib |
| Indonesian mythology | Alam Ghaib |
| Māori mythology | Hawaiki, Rarohenga, Rangi Tuarea, Te Toi-o-nga-Ranga, Uranga-o-Te-Ra |
| Mapuche mythology | Pellumawida, Degin, Wenuleufu, Ngullchenmaiwe |
| Maya mythology | Metnal, Xibalba |
| Melanesian mythology | Bulu, Burotu, Murimuria, Nabagatai, Tuma |
| Norse mythology | Gimlé, Hel, Niflhel, Vingólf |
| Oromo mythology | Ekera |
| Persian mythology | Duzakh |
| Philippine mythology | Kasanaan |
| Polynesian mythology | Avaiki, Bulotu, Iva, Lua-o-Milu, Nga- Atua, Pulotu, Rangi Tuarea, Te Toi-o-nga-Ranga, Uranga-o-Te-Ra |
| Pueblo mythology | Shipap |
| Roman mythology | Inferi, Avernus |
| Romanian mythology | :ro:Tărâmul Celălalt|Tărâmul Celălalt |
| Slavic mythology | Nav, Podsvetie, Peklo, Vyraj |
| Sumerian mythology | Kur, Hubur |
| Turko-Mongol | Tamağ |
| Vodou mythology | Guinee |
| Wagawaga mythology | Hiyoyoa |
Underworld figures
This list includes rulers or guardians of the underworld in various religious traditions, with links to corresponding articles.| Aboriginal mythology | Baiame, Eingana |
| Akkadian mythology | Allu, Anu, Anunnaku, Ereshkigal, Etemmu, Gallu, Humbaba, Mamitu, Nergal, Utnapishtim |
| Albanian mythology | E Bukura e Dheut |
| Turko-Mongol | Erlik |
| Armenian mythology | Spandaramet |
| Aztec mythology | Mictlantecuhtli, Mictecacihuatl, Chalmecacihuilt, Chalmecatl |
| Babylonian mythology | Erra, Nergal, Ninlil, Sursunabu, Ur-shanabi, Utnapishtim |
| Balinese mythology | Batara Kala, Setesuyara |
| Bon mythology | gNyan |
| Buddhism | Yama |
| Canaanite mythology | Mot, Arsay |
| Celtic mythology | Aed, Arawn, Cwn Annwn, Donn, Gwyn ap Nudd, Manannán mac Lir, Pwyll |
| Chinese mythology | Gui, Yanluo |
| Christianity | Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub |
| Egyptian mythology | Aken, Aker, Am-heh, Amunet, Ammit, Andjety, Anubis, Apep, Apis, Astennu, Ha, Imiut, Isis, Mehen, Naunet, Nehebkau, Nephthys, Nun, Nut, Osiris, Ptah, Seker, Thoth |
| Elamite mythology | Jabru |
| Estonian mythology | Vanapagan |
| Etruscan mythology | Charun, Culsu, Februus, Mania, Mantus, Nethuns, Tuchulcha, Vanth |
| Fijian mythology | Degei |
| Finnish mythology | Kalma, Kipu-Tyttö, Kivutar, Lovitar, Surma, Tuonen akka, Tuonetar, Tuoni, Vammatar |
| Greek mythology | Cerberus, Charon, Hades, Pluto, Keres, Persephone, Thánatos |
| Georgian mythology | sasuleti |
| Haida mythology | Ta'xet, Tia |
| Hattian mythology, Hittite mythology | Lelwani |
| Hinduism | Yama |
| Hopi mythology | Maasaw |
| Hungarian mythology | Ördög |
| Ibo mythology | Ala |
| Incan mythology | Supay, Vichama |
| Indonesian mythology | Batara Kala guardian for sinners souls' underworld, Dewi Sri guardess for the righteous souls' underworld |
| Inuit mythology | Pana, Sedna |
| Japanese mythology | Izanami-no-Mikoto, Jikininki, Shikome, Shiryō, Susanoo-no-Mikoto |
| Kassite mythology | Dur |
| Khmer mythology | Preas Eyssaur |
| Latvian mythology | Veļi, Veļu māte, Zemes māte |
| Lithuanian mythology | Velnias, Velinas |
| Levantine mythology | Mot, Arsay |
| Lunda mythology | Kalunga |
| Maori mythology | Hina, Hine-nui-te-Po, Kewa, Mahiuki, Rohe, Whiro |
| Maya mythology | Xibalba |
| Melanesian mythology | Degei, Ratumaibulu, Samulayo |
| Narragansett mythology | Chepi |
| Navaho mythology | Estsanatlehi |
| Niquiran mythology | Mictanteot |
| Norse mythology | Garmr, Hel, Ran |
| Ugrian mythology | Heini-iki |
| Orokolo mythology | Kiavari |
| Persian mythology | Angra Mainyu, Azhi Dahaka, Peri |
| Philippine mythology | Magwayen/Maguayen, Sidapa |
| Phoenician mythology | Horon |
| Phrygian mythology | Men |
| Polynesian mythology | Hikuleo, Hina, Hine-nui-te-Po, Kanaloa, Kiho-tumu, Makea Tutara, Mahiuki, Mahu-ike, Marama, Mauri, Merau, Milu, Miru, Rimu, Rohe, Whiro |
| Prussian mythology | Picullus |
| Pueblo mythology | Iyatiku |
| Roma mythology | Beng |
| Roman mythology | Cerberus, Dea Tacita, Dis Pater, Egestes, Fames, Inferi Dii, Larenta, Letum, Libitina, Mors, Orcus, Pluto, Proserpina, Viduus |
| Romanian mythology | Diavolu, Satana, Necuratu, Scaraoschi |
| Russian mythology | Dyavol, Satanaya |
| Saami mythology | Yambe-akka |
| Salish mythology | Amotken |
| Siberian mythology | Chebeldei, Kul |
| Slavic mythology | Crnobog, Flins, Marzana, Nyia, Veles |
| Sumerian mythology | Edimmu, Ekimmu, Endukugga, Enmesarra, Ereshkigal, Gidim, Gula, Irkalla, Kur, Namtar, Nergal, Neti, Nindukugga, Ninlil, Urshanabi, Ziusudra |
| Syrian mythology | Reshep |
| Tamil mythology | Cur |
| Thracian mythology | Heros |
| Turkic mythology | Erlik |
| Vodou | Baron Cimetière, Baron La Croix, Baron Samedi, Ghede, Maman Brigitte, Marassa Jumeaux |
| Wagawaga mythology | Tumudurere |
| Welsh mythology | Annwfn or Annwn |
| Yoruba mythology | Esu, Oya |
| Yurak mythology | Nga |
| Zuni mythology | Uhepono |