Contrasting Egyptian and Mesop
Although some similarities exist, the way the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians viewed and worshipped their gods were quite different and impacted their daily lives in varying ways. In order to compare the two cultures in a religious sense, the way they lived and dealt with their surroundings must be examined. Life for the ancient Mesopotamians was precarious and day-to-day. The openness of the river valley lead to vulnerability from both raiding tribesmen and the elements. The climate was very harsh, with unpredictable flooding in the spring and at harvest time. There was also rapid evaporation, leading to the need for a reliable irrigation system. There were little natural resources for building purposes (stone and timber), leading to the need for both the establishment of trade routes and alternate building methods. The lifespan of the cities themselves was quite often unpredictable, usually coinciding with the water supply on which it so depended. The cities of Ur, Ashur and Akkad are examples of cities that disappeared without a trace. The Egyptian delta was considered the most abundant oasis in the region in terms of natural resources. Bounded on the east and west by desert and on the north the Mediterranean Sea, the re
The lives of those he ruled were only seen as eternal when life itself was over on earth. The regularity of their physical surroundings led to a preoccupation with stability and permanence. The Sumerian civilization viewed the world as a whole as an environment of harshness and danger. The broad, fertile valley leads to easy irrigation and waster conservation. gion was much more easily defendable than the Mesopotamian river valley. Life centered on the temple due to the fact that the god was always present in it. They viewed themselves as the servants of the gods they worshipped, whom could exact their wrath at any time upon those that worshipped them. The divine kingship of the pharaoh was based on the ideal that he was the incarnation of the god he represented and was seen as unchanging and eternal. This signaled the end of theocratic socialism and also led to drastic change and even war. Their role in life was seen to be to maintain the order and stability endowed upon them by their god through the pharaoh. Papyrus was also readily available for the building of boats, construction of matting and for writing material. It is easy to understand how the fall of the Mesopotamian civilization came to be when taking into account the attitudes and outlook on life of the people. As civilization progressed, the steward to the god eventually became like a king although still holding the honor of being the link between god and man. This led to the people striving to achieve the favor of the pharaoh in order to preserve order and peace. Statues and artwork unearthed in recent times depict the ruler of the era in unnatural poses perhaps to remind generations to come of the god-like characteristics of the original.
Common topics in this essay:
Mediterranean Sea,
King Narmer's,
Egyptians Mesopotamians,
Lower Egypt,
Pyramids Geza,
Apsu Tiamat,
Ashur Akkad,
,
King Narmer,
gods worshipped,
creation myth,
akkadian creation myth,
life seen,
outlook life,
civilization viewed,
people ancient,
gods gods,
river valley,
god represented,
mesopotamian civilization,
|
Acceptance Essays
