...Ra was the God of the sun. He was thought to be the most important God of ancient Egypt. He had a hawk head and a sun disk headdress. Ra was the most popular God in Ancient Egypt. Ra had immense power. He was the most powerful God in Ancient Egypt also. He was described as the creator of everything in Ancient Egypt. Ra drives his chariots through the heavens. He was different than all the other Gods and Goddesses. Though not the oldest God, he was certainly considered the best. Ancient Egyptians believed Ra was swallowed whole at night by Nut, the God of the sky, then was reborn in the morning. They also believed that at night he traveled through the underworld appearing as a guy with a ram head. Ra was known as Atum at one time. He created...
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...you know that if the Pyramid of Giza was cut into 12 inch cubes, there'd be enough to circle the moon almost 3 times. I've heard many facts about ancient Egypt, but are they all facts? To answer that question, I researched about Egypt mythology, so their gods and goddesses, their kings, queens, pharaohs, mummification, and their beliefs of the afterlife. But let me his straight: the beginning of the ancient Egyptian era began about 5,000 years ago. (Around 3100 BCE) Egyptians were very religious, and they believed that everything in their lives depended on gods and goddesses. We know over 2,000 names of gods, but I'll only tell you about a few important ones. Egyptians believed that the god Ptah was the creator of earth. A very...
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...usually include a system of values as well as various practices. Egyptian religion included their ancient gods, the mythology of the gods, and other parts of their religion. For example their religion explained and included creation, death and the afterlife, and the cults that worshiped the gods. In Egypt, the king or pharaoh played a very important part in their religion and what the gods expected of the people also. Egyptian religion consisted of many myths and rituals too. Religion was a very influential part of Ancient Egyptian culture and shaped their ancient civilization of the Nile greatly. Like most other cultures, the ancient Egyptians wanted to find the meaning for their existence, but there were also other influences on their religion, such as the need to justify kingship, along with many others. Egyptians have numerous Gods in there culture and they feel that the Gods walk among them, invisibly on Earth. Ra is the most central God of the Egyptian gods. Known as the sun god, Ra was the most important element of life in ancient Egypt and represented light, warmth, and growth. Ra embodies the Egyptian beliefs of order and truth, and he signifies the cycle of birth, life and death. Of all the ancient Egyptian Gods Anubis is frequently the one referred to as the gatekeeper of the underworld and god of death. The Egyptian goddess Isis was worshiped throughout Egypt. Isis was considered to the patron saint of women, mothers and children. Horus was always associated...
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...Religion is defined by Emile Durkheim as a “unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden”. In the ancient world the religion a society believed was unified and worked with their lifestyle and situations. a lot of times gods & goddesses were directly related to the weather and wars. There would be a god of rain who would bring good crops which kept a society functioning. The ritual of religion is an important part of these societies, it gave people a purpose and made sense of the world even if it was really just a functional way to build an prosperous kingdom for the elite rulers. I am going to explain the rituals & religions of five ancient civilizations; Mespotamia, Egypt,...
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...Comparing Gods and Goddesses HUM/105 June 15, 2011 Comparing Gods and Goddesses Myths are narrative stories that describe the creation of the world and how the first humans came into existence. According to Leonard and McClure (2004), human societies began as goddess-oriented and matrifocal (women-centered). Human societies evolved from primitive beginnings to a superior culture system of patriarchy (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 104). Although myths may differ from culture to culture, common elements and roles exist in each myth. In today’s society, myths and legends are fantasy-filled tales from ancient societies long gone. Therefore, Team A will describe the elements and functions of goddess myths, and compare two myths of the female divine from different cultures. Second, the team will describe the elements and functions of god myths, and compare two myths of the male divine from different cultures. Last, the team will summarize the elements and functions shared by both divines. According to the euhemerist Gimbutus, goddesses have three basic roles life, death, and regeneration (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 114). The goddesses of life are Mother Earth, nature, sea, and universe. These goddesses are nurturers and overseers of security and contentment, prosperity and growth, and creativity and artistry. The mother earth goddesses are creators of earth and universe, such as Gaia of the ancient Greeks, and Tellus of the Romans. These two Earth goddesses gave birth...
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...If I was born in Ancient Egypt, in the land of Thebes around the year of 2000 B.C. I am sure I would be a different person living in their culture because their culture is very different from our culture today. Egypt is situated in the Northeast corner of Africa. My life as an Ancient Egyptian would have been along the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. The Nile River was important to us because in Egypt it was mainly made up of deserts and receives little rainfall. Without it the area would just been entirely desert. "The gift of the Nile" meant that we depended on the Nile for water, food and transportation. It also provided us with fertile land, which help to grow crops and raised animals. Before the modern dams were built here the Nile would flood each year coating the land on either side of the river with thick black mud. However, this was ideal for growing crops on. How would I be the same person? As a Christian today I know, I would be a different person, because I believe that there is only one God and he sent his only son to save the world through him. When he created me, he created me with love. God wants us to be saved. (1 Timothy 2:3-4) This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Egyptian religion was based on polytheism, or the worship of many deities. They had as many as 2000 Gods and Goddesses each representing characteristics of a specific earthly force combined with a heavenly...
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...For millennia the Maya lived in what is now the lowlands of Guatemala, Mexico, Belize and Honduras.For reasons still not full understood, around 900 AD their society collapsed and cities abandoned.While their social structure disappeared, the Mayans did not. | | 11,000 B.C. The first hunter-gatherers settle in the Maya highlands and lowlands. 3114 or 3113 B.C. The creation of the world takes place, according to the Maya Long Count calendar. 2600 B.C. Maya civilization begins. Olmec figurine 2000 B.C. The rise of the Olmec civilization, from which many aspects of Maya culture are derived. Village farming becomes established throughout Maya regions. 700 B.C. Writing is developed in Mesoamerica. 400 B.C. The earliest known solar calendars carved in stone are in use among the Maya, although the solar calendar may have been known and used by the Maya before this date. Mayan Calendar 300 B.C. The Maya adopt the idea of a hierarchical society ruled by nobles and kings. 100 B.C. The city of Teotihuacan is founded and for centuries is the cultural, religious and trading center of Mesoamerica. 50 B.C. The Maya city of Cerros is built, with a complex of temples and ball courts. It is abandoned (for reasons unknown) a hundred years later and its people return to fishing and farming. Teotihuacan 100 A.D. The decline of the Olmecs. 400 The Maya highlands fall under the domination of Teotihuacan, and the disintegration of Maya culture and language begins in...
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...development between ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia was the political organization in both civilizations. The tyrannical presence of ancient Egypt’s godly Pharaohs and the justified structure of Hammurabi’s code in ancient Mesopotamia were the distinct political differences. Political organization affected the ancient economy, that then affected social order, which in turn affected the kinds of religions practiced, which played a huge role in the development of these ancient societies. Egyptian Pharaohs took advantage of the geography surrounding them, and found the Nile River Valley to be rich in precious metals, including gold, copper, and iron. A large number of men took a chance and left their homes to go out and mine for these precious metals. While in Mesopotamia, Hammurabi established many laws which allowed for the stabilization of the economy. These laws established legitimate trade and commerce for the sharing and distributing of agriculture grown in the area. In both ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia their economies flourished with trade, this is because in order to establish a...
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...Compare and contrast essay: Ancient Egypt and Greece The ancient Egyptian and ancient Greek civilizations are two of the oldest known civilizations in our history. The Egyptian civilization, based in the eastern part of North Africa, is believed to have started around 3150 BC and continued till the end of the Pharaoh rule in 31 BC. The ancient Greek civilization is believed to have been in effect from 1100 BC till about 146 BC. Many similarities and differences existed between these two civilizations, as even though they co-existed during a certain timeframe (1150 BC to 146 BC), they were located in different geographical areas. Because of these differences in geography, both these civilizations were subjected to different kinds of exposure, which included contact with other civilization and cultural inheritance. In the political sphere, we find that the Egyptian civilization had stronger emphasis on central authority, while the Greeks had a more decentralized structure, where powers were distributed over the cities and the states as well. As far as art is concerned, we find that the Egyptians were more involved in creating great monumental and gaudy structures, while the Greeks were more involved in creating smaller, more literary pieces of art. One of the biggest reasons why these two civilizations had these differences is due to their geography. The Egyptians had easy access to large stones that they could bring in to their country and use them to erect such monumental...
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...Hathor was the goddess of love and joy. She was very famous on earth and had a temple built for her at Dendera. She played an important role in the life of the ancient Egyptians. She was shown as a falcon, a cobra, a lioness, or a hippopotamus. Though, she was mostly shown as a woman or cow. However, in later descriptions she is described as a cow head with a woman's body. Over time, she became associated with the goddess Isis: Goddess of motherhood royalty and family. Which took her away from her being the most powerful and famous goddess. But she still is and has remained one of the most popular goddesses, of Ancient Egypt. She has had the most festivals thrown for her than any other god. Many people named their children after her because...
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...Egyptian Statue of Horus vs Mesopotamia Plaque of Protection Abstract This document will compare two works of art from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The first piece from ancient Egypt is a Statuette of Horus from the Third Intermediate Period. The second piece is a plaque for protection from the Neo-Assyrian period. Both pieces of art are made by using the lost-wax bronze castings technique which this paper will examine. Statuette of Horus Horus was a falcon-headed man the son of Aset (Isis) and Osiris (McLeish, 1996). The falcon head is represented by a beak and bird like eyes. The statuette of Horus depicts a sun disk over his head and a cobra wrapped around the disk. The sun disk represents the sun god Ra, while the cobra goddess represents the nurse or protector of Horus. The statuette of Horus was produced using the lost-wax bronze casting technique and made in several parts. The lost-wax bronze casting was commonly used during the Third Intermediate Period (Edith Whitney Watts, 1998). His eyes represented the sun and the moon and are inlaid with gold and inlays of glass probably filled the eye sockets at one time. Horus’s body has a long bust with the pectorals placed high and a narrow waist. The body is smooth to represent his god like indestructibility. His left leg is striding forward and he is looking directly forward. His Egyptian loincloth has ribbed vertical lines. The statue is mainly smooth with some detail preciously carved for the features...
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...order to mark the exact directions and locations of one of the most incredible civilizations the world ever witnessed. Egypt, in a simple geographical illustration is located in the 'north' Africa or 'north-eastern-' Africa. According to the harsh climate changes that occurred around eight thousands B.C, desiccation swallowed large, prolific lands of Egypt, structuring the Sahara and forcing the living tribal groups to leave and seek for survival. Eventually, they settled along the south coast of the Mediterranean Sea down to the Nile River and around its banks around three thousands B.C. The stability that ancient Egyptians found after years of unsettlement provided them the ability to structure an enormous, civilized empire that extended for long periods of time. Egypt began gaining supremacy and power. It reached its height in almost all aspects of life; culturally, educationally, religiously, spiritually, medically, and Leisurely. The main purpose of my paper is to demonstrate the significant role of music in the ancient Egyptian civilization, musician's social organization, gender roles in musical performances, and the ancient musical instruments that were invented and are used until nowadays....
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...When examining the ancient cultures of Egypt and Mesopotamia, it is vital to observe the distinct similarities between their religious beliefs. Considering the geographic closeness of the two ancient civilizations, Mesopotamia occupying mainly modern day Iraq, centered around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and Egypt which is still located in the region recognized as modern Egypt, centralized around the Nile River, and the overlapping time frame both of these societies occupied, it is not unexpected that Mesopotamia and Egypt would possess similar ideologies. Despite the fact that the political structure of these civilizations differed between Mesopotamia’s unstable collection of city-states and Egypt’s unified monarchy, both societies were comprised a polytheistic philosophy where the Gods reflected a larger, universal system. Furthermore, both ancient civilizations relied on the flooding of their adjacent rivers for survival and these floods manifested within their religious ideologies. Although, the annual flooding of the Nile gave the Egyptians a sense of comfort and satiability surrounding death and was the direct rational of the Egyptians belief that rebirth followed death, the inconsistent flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates left the Mesopotamian people uncertain of the continuity of lives, evident in their harsh God’s and lack of interpretation of what the after-life consists of. Nevertheless, the similarities between the two culture’s religious beliefs are far too comparable...
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...HUM 1110.99 Final Paper A Comparison and Contrast of the Mother Goddess Figure Introduction This paper compares and contrasts the Virgin Mary and the Egyptian mother goddess Isis. A mother goddess is a deity or persona that represents motherhood, fertility, creation or one that embodies the bounties of the Earth. The Virgin Mary and Isis each represent perspectives of what is called the Sacred Feminine or Divine Feminine. Upon first glance, it appears that the similarities between the Virgin Mary and Isis are nothing more than a coincidence. I however, think The Virgin Mary and Isis are the same entity merely altered to fit different cultural needs. Author and psychic medium, Jessica Jewett, best describes this on her web page, “The supreme mother of the universe; she is loving, wise, courageous and sacrifices herself and her family of the benefit of mankind. In modern Christian culture, this description fits the Holy Mother, the Virgin Mary, but three thousand years ago and longer, this description also fit the most powerful Egyptian goddess, Isis.” (Jewett) I will be using their origins, symbols, titles, functions in religion, and seasonal festivals to compare and contrast The Virgin Mary and Isis in attempts to show how they are one in the same. Origins/Births Both Isis and The Virgin Mary are similar in the fact that they are considered divine mothers and venerated as a “life-giver”. They both had male offspring, Jesus and...
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...Had I lived in ancient Egypt, I would have adopted the beliefs of my ancestors who believed in believed in many gods and goddesses. We worship our gods and goddesses in our home. We have a statue of Osiris, the God of the afterlife and we show gratitude and love by our offerings of food and gifts throughout the day. The elders in the family share stories about our gods providing a constant presence in our daily lives. Great effort is exhibited to prepare for the death of family members and our journey to another world where we will lead a new life. We will need all the things we use in our lives and we collect in preparation for the afterlife. We will place objects such as bowls, combs, and other trinkets, along with food, in their graves. We are farmers and our poor and cannot afford to be buried with jewelry, furniture, and other valuable like wealthy Egyptians. Our family members will buried in the sand unlike the rich ones who will be buried in tombs. Death is not considered to be the end of one's life, rather a necessary process that one has to go through in order to enter a dimension of complete bliss and eternity. This is dependent on the way we live our lives. There are 42 Principles that guide us on what we should and should not do in our everyday lives and we strive to follow these principals so that we may be judged favorably by Ma’at, the goddess of justice. Ma’at will judge us by these principals and award our...
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