The Epic Of Gilgamesh: The Importance Of Life

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The period between 4000 – 3500 BC was were the civilization began during the Mesopotamian Era. The people of Mesopotamia lived between the Tigris and Euphrates River where they developed government and learned how to write. The first library was derived from this time where they created clay tablets to record events and create stories tales. One of the most famous mythical poems that was written in clay tablet was The Epic of Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a poem that was created by the Akkadians and re written by other cultures in the Mesopotamian period. This story reflected the values and origins of the people during that time.
The Epic of Gilgamesh story starts with a King named Gilgamesh the great leader of Uruk who was the son of
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Gilgamesh thought that that he could find everlasting life so he goes to a journey to find it but he fails at the end. The people in Mesopotamia feared death and believed that the gods created death to control the population. Although death was recognized as a statement of life, ancient Mesopotamians still feared its comprehension. The average lifespan of mankind during this time was forty years, but if one died earlier this was to be considered a curse from the gods. When a person passed away they would wash and anoint the body with perfume oils. They would dress the person up and depending on the status of the individual they would have personal possessions around them. This form of ritual was called the taklimtu ritual and this occurred one hour after sunrise and at intervals …show more content…
Gilgamesh was a ruler that was part god. Like the tale of the story the Mesopotamian people had kings but they were a representation of the gods. The kings had many responsibilities but they mainly were participating in religious ceremonies, handling the concerns of the state in war and peace, writing laws and managing the organization and execution of justice. The king was believed to be chosen by the gods and was doing the will of the gods but was not considered to be a god himself. The king’s main goal was to please the gods and keep the order and culture alive.
The Epic of Gilgamesh gave us an inside view of the Mesopotamian way of life. They wrote a poem that was retold and rewritten many times during the Mesopotamian period which showed the importance of the story. The people believed in many gods and did everything they could to keep them happy through there rituals. They also needed a king to represent the gods and keep the order of justice. They most importantly understood the value of

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