Religion In Ancient Civilizations

Religion has impacted civilizations since Paleolithic times. Ancient civilizations flourished with religion, as it influenced the virtues of ancient governments, art, architecture, and literature in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Hebrew culture. While the Hebrews, Mesopotamians, and Egyptians developed separate cultures, each have had religion shape the values of society by impacting the art, architecture, and literature. Hebrews were monotheistic and believed in Yahweh, the one true god. Literature, such as the Torah, immortalized god and contained the story of creation and songs of praise. God created the universe and shaped man from soil. In addition to having religious stories, the Hebrews also created art that celebrated Judaism. Most art was destroyed during the Babylonian Captivity; however, The Ark of Covenant from Hammath still survives. The
Hymns celebrated gods and afterlife, as well as the pharaoh. “The Hymn of Aten” praised Aten, who created life, as well as the pharaoh Akhenaten, showing how pharaohs ruled for the god. Additionally, unlike the other cultures, the Egyptian art depicted the pharaoh’s power as sole ruler and god. The Colossal Statue of Akhenaten from 18th dynasty shows Akhenaten as the Son of God and god, unlike the Yahweh. Lastly, architecture immortalized the pharaohs, not deities. The pyramids of Gizeh were propaganda, but were also burial sites containing boats and jewels that carried the Ka (soul) to the afterlife, as seen in The Book of the Dead. Throughout the empire, Egyptians used kings and deities as a tool of propaganda that solidified their rule.
Religion has shaped history and governments in worldwide. Understanding humanities and its significance allows people to see the impact of religion on today’s society all over the world. Religion continues to create community and affects art, architecture, and literature worldwide, connecting the past to the