One example which helps the reader understand the Celtic concept of the otherworld is The Voyage of Saint Brendan. Many Celtic Immrams or 'voyage stories' and other medieval texts provide evidence of a Celtic belief in an otherworld. The Irish Otherworld is more usually described as a paradisal fairyland than a scary place. The ruler of the dead was possibly Yemo, the divine twin of Manu, the first man.

In Indo-European mythologies the Otherworld is depicted in many ways, including peaceful meadows, islands and buildings making it hard to determine how the original Proto-Indo-European Otherworld was viewed. Examples of this are the Greek Cerberus, the three-headed hound of Hades, and the Indic सर्वरा Sarvarā, one of the hounds of Yama, whose names may derive from an Indo-European *ḱerberos meaning 'spotted'. The wayfarer will commonly encounter a dog either in the capacity of a guardian of the Otherworld or as the wanderer's guide.

In Greek and Indic mythology the waters of this river were thought to wash away sins or memories whereas Celtic and Germanic myths feature wisdom-imparting waters, suggesting that while the memories of the deceased are washed away a drinker of the waters would gain inspiration. Many Indo-European mythologies show evidence for a belief in some form of 'Otherworld' and in many cases such as in Persian, Greek, Germanic, Celtic, Slavic and Indic mythologies a river had to be crossed to allow entrance to it and it is usually an old man that would transport the soul across the waters.

Otherworld columbus