# Ghosts in the Ancient World: The Return of the So-Called Dead — WHE Definition Discussion (1-13359)

**URL:** <https://community.worldhistory.org/t/ghosts-in-the-ancient-world-the-return-of-the-so-called-dead-whe-definition-discussion-1-13359/17635>\
**Category:** WHE Articles\
**Created:** [October 30, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/ghosts-in-the-ancient-world-the-return-of-the-so-called-dead-whe-definition-discussion-1-13359/17635 "2014-10-30T18:47:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JPryst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jpryst/32/168_2.png) [@JPryst](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/JPryst)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/ghosts-in-the-ancient-world-the-return-of-the-so-called-dead-whe-definition-discussion-1-13359/17635/1 "2014-10-30T18:47:50Z")

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A belief in an afterlife was central to every major civilization of the ancient world and this encouraged the recognition of the reality of ghosts as the spirits of the departed who, for one reason or another, either returned from the realm of the dead or refused to leave the land of the living.

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_This is a companion discussion topic for the original definition at [https://www.worldhistory.org/ghost/](https://www.worldhistory.org/ghost/)._

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**Join the Conversation**

- If you've studied this topic, what would you add for other readers?
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Is there anything you'd like to ask about this definition? Ask away — and if you spot something that should be covered, that's useful to know too.

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**Author:** ![system](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/system/32/30_2.png) [@system](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/ghosts-in-the-ancient-world-the-return-of-the-so-called-dead-whe-definition-discussion-1-13359/17635/2 "2026-07-31T21:59:08Z")

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Unlisted on July 31, 2026, 9:59pm UTC