Sumer

Myth Analysis Paper: The Enuma elish In ancient societies, enduring stories that transcended reality (now called myths) served as a mechanism of transmitting cultural values, the promulgation of religion, and maintaining political control over the general population. Creation myths like the epic poem of Babylonia, Enuma elish served not only to humble the human ruler, but also marked the start of the New Year with an extended 11-day festival falling on the equinox (the day of equal balance of…

In both documents, we see the importance of law and order. When the people of Sumer were angry for the deeds of their king they say, “[…] His lust leaves no virgin to her lover nor the wife of Nobel; yet this is the shepherd of the city, wise, comely, and resolute” (16). These established the king as a shepherd, meaning kings are…

INTRODUCTION The renowned king of Uruk in Mesopotamia, Gilgamesh, comes from an age which had been wholly forgotten, until the last century archaeologists began uncovering the buried cities of the Middle East. Mesopotamia is one of the cradles of human civilization. The earliest cities in the world history appeared, about 3500 BC. “Mesopotamia” is a Greek word meaning, “Land between the Rivers”. The region is a vast, dry plain through which two great rivers, the Euphrates and Tigris flow.…

Iraq: An Oasis of Uncertainty Iraq, a hostile desert of uncertainties regarding both the past and present. A desert oasis that attracts a variety of human nature that ranges from good to evil. A desert with two life-sustaining rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, which fostered the growth of the ancient Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Elamites, Hatti, Hittites, Assyrians, Hurrians to the modern day cities that most people are familiar with, Mosul, Tikrit and Bagdad (Center for…

The Sumerian epic poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh translated by Andrew George, is about a man and his friend going on adventures together until tragedy occurs and one dies while the other is left mourning and going on an adventure no mortal man has gone before. There are several themes throughout this epic that people can relate to. One of these themes is life and death. The Sumerians that created this story try to depict their views of mortality and how mortality can affect people and make them…

In Barn Burning by William Faulkner, Abner Snopes effortlessly establishes authority over his impoverished family by being the father of two boys and two girls. Throughout the story, he makes his family lie about his burning of neighbors’ personal items, especially his neighbors’ barns. Instead of having a terrible temper and burning neighbors’ property as a result of rage, Abner remains very tranquil, yet demanding, while controlling his family and forcing them into keeping his burning a secret…

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story of how two best friends are brought together to balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The story focuses on the main theme friendship and the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. In the epic, the theme of friendship is the core to the story. The powerful friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is one of the most important factors from beginning to end of the story. At the beginning of the epic, Gilgamesh is a civilized character of excessive pride.…

The Epic of Gilgamesh Primary Source Analysis Many things can be learned about ancient civilizations from stories, tablets, laws, and other documents or artifacts discovered. In ancient Mesopotamia, a stone was discovered with the story of a king on the quest for eternal life. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest known piece of literature. From it, we learn many things about ancient Mesopotamia including about their religion, beliefs, gender roles, and many more. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the…

The Neolithic agricultural revolution occurred when hunter-gatherers learned how to farm crops and it changed women and men daily lives. The Neolithic agricultural revolution did not suddenly occur, Pathologic hunters and gathers had already grown crops to supplement their traditional source of food. “The Mesolithic Age was when there was a transition from a food-gathering and hunting economy to food-producing one. Systemic agriculture developed independently in different areas of the world.” (p…

Civilizations everywhere have their own unique quirks, but it is what they contribute to society that leaves a lasting impression. Ancient river valley civilizations are both similar and different compared to their neighboring civilizations. One civilization, though, made the most lasting impact of them all. The three societies that stood out the most were the the Nubians/Kushites, the Akkadians, and the Babylonians. Geography played a major role in how the individuals of that particular…