ARALLU. - Among the Mesopotamians it was equivalent to the Sheol of the Hebrews and the Hades of the Greeks; an infernal dwelling, called irsìt la tari, "the land from which one does not return."
The kingdom of the dead had its entrance in the west, in the desert. Before penetrating it one had to cross (after the judgment) the river Habur. The Mesopotamian Charon bears the name Humud-tabal, "bring out quickly"; he has the head of a bird of prey and four hands and legs.
The a., or infernal city, is enclosed within seven double encircling walls. Each wall has a gate with two entrances, guarded by watchful guardians who let no one enter who has not first conformed to the rules in force for the dwelling of the dead, established by the goddess or queen of the dark place, Allatu or Ereshkigal. Every shade, before penetrating into this autonomous kingdom, must present itself to the first guardian, and only when he has received permission from the goddess Ereshkigal are the bolts removed, the locks and doors opened, and access possible. From the account of the descent of the goddess Ishtar into the underworld it seems that man, having come naked from his mother's womb, must leave part of his garments at each of the seven gates of the a. in order to appear naked before the lady of the dark kingdom. The goddess Ishtar in fact, entering the abode of the dead, leaves at each of the gates a part of her garments and her jewels.
The goddess wishes to penetrate: "into the house of darkness, the dwelling of Irkalle, - into the house where he who enters comes out no more, - into the road whose access has no return, - into the house where he who enters is deprived of light, - where dust is nourishment and mud is food, - they (the inhabitants) do not see light, they dwell in darkness, - they are clothed like a bird, with a garment of wings."
This hardly encouraging description explains, despite the theological hints of a judgment and a future reward, the skepticism of the Mesopotamians with regard to the afterlife and how their desires were practically reduced to obtaining from the divinity a long life on this earth.