Purgatory is a postmortem state of purification or judgment where the souls of the dead are purified of their sins before progressing to the afterlife. In popular culture, purgatory is explored in various ways, such as in Dante's "Divine Comedy." The concept is found in many religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, ancient Egyptian religion, Native American and African mythologies, Zoroastrianism, ancient Greek religion, Islam, Shinto religion. Bio: Concept artist. Mythological storyteller.