Ancient Egyptian and Sumerian Societies
Imagine a very simple world, much like that of when the earth was first formed. Plant and animal life was abundant; the human population was relatively low compared to the human population of today; modern day technology did not exist, including the internet, telephones, vehicles, etc. and civilizations were just beginning to emerge. Among the civilizations were the Egyptians and Sumerians. Even with the ancient Egyptian and Sumerian societies’ use of the nearby rivers to help boost agricultural productivity and their beliefs in multiple gods being alike, their state of mind distinctly differed.
Being bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, modern day Sudan to the south, and the high desert mountains to the east and west, the ancient Egyptian civilization was located in the fertile valley along the Nile River. With the Nile River being “more than four thousand miles [in length and consisting of two parts], it is formed by the union of the White Nile and the Blue Nile, with the Blue Nile carrying most of the silt” (Life in Ancient Egypt). This silt, or fertilizer, made farming much easier for the Egyptians because plants tend to thrive in fertilizer. Because of the silt, agricultural productivity along the Nile River was much greater than other areas within Egypt. With this boost in agricultural productivity, there was enough food to feed more than the entire population. This allowed the Egyptian population to grow in quantity. In all, the Egyptian civilization filled their agricultural needs by using the silt from the river for farming.
Likewise, the Sumerian civilization was located in ancient Mesopotamia, currently named the Persian Gulf, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Like the Egyptians, the Sumerian “people began to cultivate land that stretched from the Persian Gulf to the shores of the Mediterranean [called] the Fertile Crescent, using the silt from the rivers as fertilizer” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 8). In much the same way as the Egyptians, this silt accounted for the majority of the Sumerian’s agricultural production. In addition to the silt filled rivers, the Sumerians dug “channels to irrigate the dry land [during the long and hot summers, which helped support the agriculture] and save the water for when they needed it” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 9). These irrigated fields made it much easier to survive the long, dry summers because water was more accessible to larger quantities of people, especially people within the inner parts of the cities. Overall, innovative farming techniques were used to help make life for the Sumerian people much easier.
Being polytheistic, the ancient Egyptians believed in many gods. The Egyptians “believed they were blessed by the gods, who brought such fertile [soil to the Nile valley]” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 17). The sun god, Re, which was the sun, was worshipped upon because the sun made all crops grow. In addition to Re, Osiris was believed to be the god of the underworld since the Egyptians believed in life after death, which was viewed as “an improved version of [their] world – a heavenly Nile valley” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 21). The Egyptian people tried to keep their gods satisfied by worshipping the gods. The Egyptians believed that without their gods, the world would be a much harsher place. To sum up, the Egyptian people believed several gods existed.
In much the same way as the Egyptians, the Sumerian people also worshipped numerous gods. The gods worshipped “were creator gods; as a group they had created the world and the people in it” (Hooker, Richard). This means the Sumerians thought they were placed on earth for a reason. They believed that if a natural disaster were to occur, “the event was interpreted as an act of the gods” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 11). If a natural disaster did occur, such as the rivers flooding and destroying crops or part of the city, the gods were believed to be angry. If they noticed a god might be filled with anger, they would work very hard to please the god and keep him or her happy.
Having many things in common, the Egyptians’ and Sumerians’ state of mind differed. With much going their way, the Egyptians were very optimistic of their future. The great pyramids of Egypt were constructed around the year “2590 B.C. [and] were built of cut stone” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 20). The use of stone was a huge innovation which allowed pyramids to last thousands of years. Since pyramids were sacred tombs for the deceased, people believed they should last eternity, and to them they did just that. Also, with the Nile flowing from the mountains in the south to the low lands in the north, “the river flowed north, but the prevailing winds blew from north to south” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 17). The northern flow of the river encouraged boats to flow north with the current which helped fight against the wind. If it were not for the winds, paddling upstream would not have been possible. In all, the combination of the flow of water and the wind current made the Nile River a great transportation system for the Egyptians.
On the other hand, the Sumerians were very pessimistic people. The Sumerians built ziggurats, which were temples, out “of dried clay bricks” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 20). Since a temple was and is a place of worship or a place of the gods, the Sumerian people believed they should last eternity much like the Egyptian pyramids, but that was not the case. Being made of clay, the temples would crumble over time due to weathering and would have to be rebuilt. In addition to the crumbling ziggurats, the flooding of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers would come at an unpredictable time in Mesopotamia (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 9). The floods would either come too early in the season and leave too much moisture in the soil for planting, or they would come too late in the season and wash away crops which were still ripening in the fields. This made farming extremely difficult causing pessimism to spread in Mesopotamia.
Being located near fertile valleys and a source of water, the Egyptians and the Sumerians had much in common. Both societies’ use of the nearby rivers to help boost agricultural productivity and their beliefs in several gods were alike, while their state of mind differed greatly. Unlike life today, the Egyptians and Sumerians existed in a time where life was unbearable and the lack of innovations made life exhausting.
Being bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, modern day Sudan to the south, and the high desert mountains to the east and west, the ancient Egyptian civilization was located in the fertile valley along the Nile River. With the Nile River being “more than four thousand miles [in length and consisting of two parts], it is formed by the union of the White Nile and the Blue Nile, with the Blue Nile carrying most of the silt” (Life in Ancient Egypt). This silt, or fertilizer, made farming much easier for the Egyptians because plants tend to thrive in fertilizer. Because of the silt, agricultural productivity along the Nile River was much greater than other areas within Egypt. With this boost in agricultural productivity, there was enough food to feed more than the entire population. This allowed the Egyptian population to grow in quantity. In all, the Egyptian civilization filled their agricultural needs by using the silt from the river for farming.
Likewise, the Sumerian civilization was located in ancient Mesopotamia, currently named the Persian Gulf, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Like the Egyptians, the Sumerian “people began to cultivate land that stretched from the Persian Gulf to the shores of the Mediterranean [called] the Fertile Crescent, using the silt from the rivers as fertilizer” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 8). In much the same way as the Egyptians, this silt accounted for the majority of the Sumerian’s agricultural production. In addition to the silt filled rivers, the Sumerians dug “channels to irrigate the dry land [during the long and hot summers, which helped support the agriculture] and save the water for when they needed it” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 9). These irrigated fields made it much easier to survive the long, dry summers because water was more accessible to larger quantities of people, especially people within the inner parts of the cities. Overall, innovative farming techniques were used to help make life for the Sumerian people much easier.
Being polytheistic, the ancient Egyptians believed in many gods. The Egyptians “believed they were blessed by the gods, who brought such fertile [soil to the Nile valley]” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 17). The sun god, Re, which was the sun, was worshipped upon because the sun made all crops grow. In addition to Re, Osiris was believed to be the god of the underworld since the Egyptians believed in life after death, which was viewed as “an improved version of [their] world – a heavenly Nile valley” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 21). The Egyptian people tried to keep their gods satisfied by worshipping the gods. The Egyptians believed that without their gods, the world would be a much harsher place. To sum up, the Egyptian people believed several gods existed.
In much the same way as the Egyptians, the Sumerian people also worshipped numerous gods. The gods worshipped “were creator gods; as a group they had created the world and the people in it” (Hooker, Richard). This means the Sumerians thought they were placed on earth for a reason. They believed that if a natural disaster were to occur, “the event was interpreted as an act of the gods” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 11). If a natural disaster did occur, such as the rivers flooding and destroying crops or part of the city, the gods were believed to be angry. If they noticed a god might be filled with anger, they would work very hard to please the god and keep him or her happy.
Having many things in common, the Egyptians’ and Sumerians’ state of mind differed. With much going their way, the Egyptians were very optimistic of their future. The great pyramids of Egypt were constructed around the year “2590 B.C. [and] were built of cut stone” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 20). The use of stone was a huge innovation which allowed pyramids to last thousands of years. Since pyramids were sacred tombs for the deceased, people believed they should last eternity, and to them they did just that. Also, with the Nile flowing from the mountains in the south to the low lands in the north, “the river flowed north, but the prevailing winds blew from north to south” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 17). The northern flow of the river encouraged boats to flow north with the current which helped fight against the wind. If it were not for the winds, paddling upstream would not have been possible. In all, the combination of the flow of water and the wind current made the Nile River a great transportation system for the Egyptians.
On the other hand, the Sumerians were very pessimistic people. The Sumerians built ziggurats, which were temples, out “of dried clay bricks” (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 20). Since a temple was and is a place of worship or a place of the gods, the Sumerian people believed they should last eternity much like the Egyptian pyramids, but that was not the case. Being made of clay, the temples would crumble over time due to weathering and would have to be rebuilt. In addition to the crumbling ziggurats, the flooding of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers would come at an unpredictable time in Mesopotamia (Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury, pg. 9). The floods would either come too early in the season and leave too much moisture in the soil for planting, or they would come too late in the season and wash away crops which were still ripening in the fields. This made farming extremely difficult causing pessimism to spread in Mesopotamia.
Being located near fertile valleys and a source of water, the Egyptians and the Sumerians had much in common. Both societies’ use of the nearby rivers to help boost agricultural productivity and their beliefs in several gods were alike, while their state of mind differed greatly. Unlike life today, the Egyptians and Sumerians existed in a time where life was unbearable and the lack of innovations made life exhausting.
posted by Michael Bus at
10:06 PM
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