First Wave Civilizations Research Paper
Deandre Easter
Harry A. Akoh
CO.610.HIST1111.80769.20152
11 October 2014Mesopotamia: First Wave Civilization Religions
Abstract
To believe and to worship is the definition of religion. But when and where did religion start from? Maybe today, yesterday, or maybe even thousands of centuries ago. It had to start somewhere. Wherever it started it wasn’t always the same. I would to start from one of the very first civilizations, Mesopotamia. It was created around 3500 BCE and had very unique view of religion. They were polytheistic people that had a very pessimistic view of their god. To understand their reasoning behind the views of the gods you have to understand the history.
One of the earliest civilizations was to be created was Mesopotamia. …show more content…
Its origin was around 3500 BCE. Its name is derived from the Greek language and is spilt into two parts- “Meso” meaning middle and “Potamia” meaning rivers. It is a land that sits between two rivers the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Its first civilization was Sumer. All of the city-states were built next to the rivers and was great land for agriculture, but it caused many random floods. The geography of the city had a huge influence on the religion of the people of Sumer. Even though they were all polytheistic they had similar practices of the religions, myths, almost the same.
Guisepi, Robert A. "Sumerian, Ancient Sumerian (Sumer)”
Before the Sumerian’s could worship someone or something they had to have a place to do so. The Sumerian people built temples called ziggurats. The name “ziggurat” is consequent of the word “Ziqquratu” which means high. This is where the god was supposed to visit often. It was a brick house built on a brick platform that grew larger over time. The temple was accessible by ramps and staircases. From the platform was a temple. The ground level was for priests, officials, accountants, musicians and singers to all meet. They have a main temple in Babylon called The Tower of Babel, which is divided into several stages; they all have different colors, white, black, purple, blue, orange, sliver, and gold. The priest would climb to the highest point and worship the gods. Every city-state had a local god that they would worship. The wealthier a city was the more extravagant the temple was.
Guisepi, Robert A. "Sumerian, Ancient Sumerian (Sumer)”
The cities all had different myths and beliefs of their gods. They all took time to learn of all the gods and the legends behind them. Eventually all the gods were put in an order to define their ranks among the people. Anu who was originally the god of Uruk, was deemed the greatest god of them all, the god of heaven, but he had many rival gods. The greatest gods were worshiped in temples and each family had a little figurines of their own gods in their household. They also believed that their ancestors created the ground by separating it from the water. The myth states that the world was once a watery chaos. Another god, Tiamat, was the mother of Chaos who was a dragon. Enlil, The God of storm, pushed winds inside of her so she would swelled and couldn’t move. Then he would come and split her to form earth. Then afterwards they behead her husband and created mankind from his blood.
Guisepi, Robert A. "Sumerian, Ancient Sumerian (Sumer)”
One of the greatest influences on the Sumerian people was the epic and random floods.
These floods would cause catastrophic damage on the villages. This cause the people to view life as a burden (in reference to the gods). They started to perceive the gods as quarreling or misunderstanding. In one instance, in the legend of Gilgamesh, which is said to be derived from the great Legend of Gilgamesh, where Gilgamesh was called upon to by the god Ea and told that his world would be destroyed by a great flood. He was told by Untapishtim to build a ship for his servants, family, and animals. After a seven day flood he comes to a stop. Untapishtim and his wife are granted immortality. They created many other legends that really influenced their religion and caused them to believe that the gods the way they were. Guisepi, Robert A. "Sumerian, Ancient Sumerian (Sumer)”
In total the Sumerian people where really influenced by the geography of their land this. The small area around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers cause for a common religion at the beginning of the civilization. This made it easier to believe in being polytheistic. This also caused to created stories and myths that they used to help them to cope with life. This I feel like, made them fell as though they a lower breed of life and as though they were supposed to be killed this how life just was. Again the region really had its mark in influencing the religion.
Works
Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY AuthorLastName, FirstName. Title of the Book Being Referenced. City Name: Name of Publisher, Year. Type of MediumGuisepi, Robert A. "Sumeria, Ancient Sumeria (Sumer), A History of Ancient Sumer Including Its Contributions." Sumeria, Ancient Sumeria (Sumer), A History of Ancient Sumer Including Its Contributions. Web. 13 Oct. 2014. (e.g. Print).
LastName, First, Middle. "Article Title." Journal Title (Year): Pages From - To. Print.
Harry A. Akoh
CO.610.HIST1111.80769.20152
11 October 2014Mesopotamia: First Wave Civilization Religions
Abstract
To believe and to worship is the definition of religion. But when and where did religion start from? Maybe today, yesterday, or maybe even thousands of centuries ago. It had to start somewhere. Wherever it started it wasn’t always the same. I would to start from one of the very first civilizations, Mesopotamia. It was created around 3500 BCE and had very unique view of religion. They were polytheistic people that had a very pessimistic view of their god. To understand their reasoning behind the views of the gods you have to understand the history.
One of the earliest civilizations was to be created was Mesopotamia. …show more content…
Its origin was around 3500 BCE. Its name is derived from the Greek language and is spilt into two parts- “Meso” meaning middle and “Potamia” meaning rivers. It is a land that sits between two rivers the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Its first civilization was Sumer. All of the city-states were built next to the rivers and was great land for agriculture, but it caused many random floods. The geography of the city had a huge influence on the religion of the people of Sumer. Even though they were all polytheistic they had similar practices of the religions, myths, almost the same.
Guisepi, Robert A. "Sumerian, Ancient Sumerian (Sumer)”
Before the Sumerian’s could worship someone or something they had to have a place to do so. The Sumerian people built temples called ziggurats. The name “ziggurat” is consequent of the word “Ziqquratu” which means high. This is where the god was supposed to visit often. It was a brick house built on a brick platform that grew larger over time. The temple was accessible by ramps and staircases. From the platform was a temple. The ground level was for priests, officials, accountants, musicians and singers to all meet. They have a main temple in Babylon called The Tower of Babel, which is divided into several stages; they all have different colors, white, black, purple, blue, orange, sliver, and gold. The priest would climb to the highest point and worship the gods. Every city-state had a local god that they would worship. The wealthier a city was the more extravagant the temple was.
Guisepi, Robert A. "Sumerian, Ancient Sumerian (Sumer)”
The cities all had different myths and beliefs of their gods. They all took time to learn of all the gods and the legends behind them. Eventually all the gods were put in an order to define their ranks among the people. Anu who was originally the god of Uruk, was deemed the greatest god of them all, the god of heaven, but he had many rival gods. The greatest gods were worshiped in temples and each family had a little figurines of their own gods in their household. They also believed that their ancestors created the ground by separating it from the water. The myth states that the world was once a watery chaos. Another god, Tiamat, was the mother of Chaos who was a dragon. Enlil, The God of storm, pushed winds inside of her so she would swelled and couldn’t move. Then he would come and split her to form earth. Then afterwards they behead her husband and created mankind from his blood.
Guisepi, Robert A. "Sumerian, Ancient Sumerian (Sumer)”
One of the greatest influences on the Sumerian people was the epic and random floods.
These floods would cause catastrophic damage on the villages. This cause the people to view life as a burden (in reference to the gods). They started to perceive the gods as quarreling or misunderstanding. In one instance, in the legend of Gilgamesh, which is said to be derived from the great Legend of Gilgamesh, where Gilgamesh was called upon to by the god Ea and told that his world would be destroyed by a great flood. He was told by Untapishtim to build a ship for his servants, family, and animals. After a seven day flood he comes to a stop. Untapishtim and his wife are granted immortality. They created many other legends that really influenced their religion and caused them to believe that the gods the way they were. Guisepi, Robert A. "Sumerian, Ancient Sumerian (Sumer)”
In total the Sumerian people where really influenced by the geography of their land this. The small area around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers cause for a common religion at the beginning of the civilization. This made it easier to believe in being polytheistic. This also caused to created stories and myths that they used to help them to cope with life. This I feel like, made them fell as though they a lower breed of life and as though they were supposed to be killed this how life just was. Again the region really had its mark in influencing the religion.
Works
Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY AuthorLastName, FirstName. Title of the Book Being Referenced. City Name: Name of Publisher, Year. Type of MediumGuisepi, Robert A. "Sumeria, Ancient Sumeria (Sumer), A History of Ancient Sumer Including Its Contributions." Sumeria, Ancient Sumeria (Sumer), A History of Ancient Sumer Including Its Contributions. Web. 13 Oct. 2014. (e.g. Print).
LastName, First, Middle. "Article Title." Journal Title (Year): Pages From - To. Print.