MESOPOTAMIA
The Mesopotamian religion (for most regions) were polytheistic. Their religion was to appease the gods. Laws and etc., were even based on their religion as well. More than 2,000 gods/goddesses were worshiped Sumerians believed in Enlin, the sky god. Assyrians believed in Ashur, the supreme god. They conceived the material world as being bound together with divine. The purpose of life was to serve the gods. They tend the gods’ sanctuaries, burning incense, feeding and providing them with their service. |
EGYPT
The Egyptians were polytheist meaning that they believed and worshiped multiple gods at the same time. They had several gods which they believed influenced and impacted every aspect of their lives. To the Egyptians, gods were their friends and if they worked together, the gods would provide them with a happy life and home. The Egyptians goal in life was to live in harmony, or Ma’at. Egyptians believed that by working with the gods, they can live in harmony and have a good life. In order to communicate with the gods, Egyptians turned to a spiritual form of writing cally Hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics were believed to be a gift from the gods which could allow the Egyptians to will things to happen through writing. Writing was believed to have a great amount of power. Egyptians also believed in the afterlife. Rituals, such as mummification, were done so that the dead could be preserved and live on in the afterlife. Another important god-like figure to the Egyptians was their Pharaoh. A Pharaoh was an Egyptian ruler that had complete control over all of Egypt. The Pharaoh was responsible for making laws, protecting it’s people, and enforcing the gods will. Egyptians believed that the Pharaoh represented the gods and was there to enforce the will of the gods. Holy temples, buildings, burial grounds, and pyramids were created in honor of these gods and the Pharaohs. |
CHINA
Before the Confucian and Legalism religions rose, people in China believed in many gods, called polytheistic. Each of the god were associated on one or more elements of the nature, such as water, fire, and weather. People in the Shang Dynasty were respecting the spirits and gods. Also their government was based on who the gods blessed to rule the kingdom. The rulers should guide their people on the right path. However, the Confucian religion practiced the teaching in order to be one of the officials or high rulers. They also had the religion of legalism, where the rulers were cruel and do not have passion to his followers. |
INDUS RIVER
The people had many belief and they believed in more than one god. They believed in the main goddess, mother goddess who represented fertility, and they also worshiped animals. Hinduism was also largely traced to the Indus civilization. People also found many clues of beliefs and practices of the Aryan peoples who came after them. |