Writing Homework Help

Please read Chapter two, which covers Egypt and Mesopotamia in our text to begin. Then you can do either Option A on Ancient Mesopotamia or Option B on Egypt, or Option C on women in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Option C requires you to watch parts of two cc documentaries, so keep that in mind when making your choices. 

Option A.Using our text (secondary sources) and the primary sources known as the Epic of Gilgamesh    download

discuss what we know about the politics and religious beliefs and practices of the ancient people of Mesopotamia. Be sure to discuss the relationship between the Gods and humans, the beliefs about a flood, what happens to Gilgamesh (and therefore to all of us, right?), and the views about the afterlife. 

This optional video on Gilgamesh is fun and a short creative look at the Epic:

This cc video is optional, but I think you will enjoy it. Mesopotamia is important for so many reasons. It is the first complex civilization and deserves far more attention than it usually gets:

Option B: Egypt

After reading our text chapter sections on Egypt (secondary sources) and the secondary source intro that contains the 42 parts of the primary source known as The Negative Confession

lease describe the religion of Egypt and how it related to/helped build and organize their society and how it supported order and stability. How do you account for the development from simple cave based rituals and Venus figurines to such highly sophisticated beliefs and practices — do you think we are seeing the same fears/concerns/desires driving the development of more complex religion and social systems or is something really new happening?

There are millions of documentaries on Egypt. It is hard to pick just one. If any of the following cc options are of interest, enjoy.

Option C: This is an option that relies on secondary sources, but also primary source artifacts related to elite women, such as the great Hatshepsut (Links to an external site.) and Nefertiti. (Links to an external site.)  The roles available to the  ancient women of Egypt (Links to an external site.) may surprise you. Please be sure you read through the links, ch 2 in the text, and watch the cc videos. Videos are secondary sources, because they are from our time interpreting – reflecting back on the past. In the videos, you will see how scholars use the primary sources to construct their understanding of these great women and Egyptian. history.  Discuss and analyze the roles of women, and their power in Egypt. Compare what you learn with what we discussed regarding the Venus figurines. Remember, last week, we discussed Venus Figurines and entertained the possibility that women may, according to some scholars, have been more powerful or treated more equally in prehistoric cultures than we might expect.  Of course, not everyone viewed the Venus Figurines as a sign of female power or equality, other scholars interpret the artifacts to mean that women were only valued for fertility or sexuality.

Reply:

Option A: the Epic of Gilgamesh and what it tells us about ancient Mesopotamia.

What do we know of the politics and religious beliefs and practices of the ancient people of Mesopotamia?

They were polytheistic, built ziggurats to worship them, and would sacrifice to appease them. The ensi were the priests that ruled over the people since “there was no separation of religion and government; he served as both the high priest and the ruler of the city-state.” (Brand, Chapter 2, Page 45). The ensi were sometimes overthrown by lugal (landowners) and lugal would become synonyms with king. Then there were the 3 castes: nobles, peasants, and slaves.

What was the relationship between the gods and humans?

The humans did not have great relationships with the gods. They feared the wrath of their gods. And did what they could to appease them. The ensi/priests were supposed to be the ones to interpret the gods’ messages and would say what needed to be done to appease the gods.

What were their beliefs about a flood?

They believed that floods were signs that the gods were angry with them and set them to punish them for any supposed wrong. Since the floods were so common, the Mesopotamians had a very pessimistic view of life.

What happens to Gilgamesh (and to us all)?

He feared death and the wrath of the gods when he died. He searched for the key of immortality. When he travels the world and finally finds it at the bottom of the ocean. As he sleeps, a snake eats the plant and Gilgamesh loses his chance at immortality. He accepts his fate because he will live forever in the minds of the people for what he has built. We, like Gilgamesh, will die so must make our legacy while we are alive. And, like Gilgamesh, live forever in the minds of the people.

What were their views about the afterlife?

The gods would judge them and their afterlife would reflect how the gods judged them. Enkidu and Gilgamesh feared death because they had angered the gods and knew their fate in the afterlife would not be good.