Do people still dream of paradise? Or is the notion now lost? The idea of paradise is as ancient as civilization itself. From the sun-drenched fields of ancient Egypt to the glorious, battle-filled halls of Valhalla, the idea of a perfect world, a place without pain, or without hunger, or without death, is one of humanity’s most persistent and powerful creations. This enduring quest for an ultimate reward is the journey we invite you to join in this edition of Ancient Origins.
The very word “paradise” begins its life as pairidaeza, an Old Persian term for a walled garden. It generally conjures an image of a carefully cultivated, protected space, a sanctuary from the harsh realities of the outside world. Yet, as our contributors will explore, this ancient idea blossomed into a variety of afterlives and utopias. We will travel to the Sumerian Dilmun, a pure land of eternal dawn, and walk through the jewel-encrusted garden of the gods described in the Epic of Gilgamesh. We will weigh our hearts alongside the dead in the Egyptian Field of Reeds and cross the Chinvat Bridge of Zoroastrian belief to the House of Song.
What this edition reveals is that there is no single paradise, but a rich geography of hope, each map drawn by the values of its culture. For some, it is a reward for a virtuous life; for others, the exclusive domain of heroes. It can be a place of eternal peace and abundance, or one of glorious, unending struggle. It is variously a lost garden we long to reclaim, a heavenly kingdom to be earned, or a spiritual state to be realized within.
In understanding how ancient peoples imagined paradise, we may come to better understand their world, their fears, and their most profound aspirations.
But we have one more invitation for you. Somewhere within the pages of this very issue, a secret has been hidden. An ancient explorer left behind a trail, four clues, buried in the stories you are about to read. Follow them carefully, and they will lead you to the name of the most legendary paradise ever sought. We call it The Cipher, and you will find it waiting for you near the end of this issue. Read closely!