Analyzing Enmerkar's Three Origin Stories

Misra (2017) perpetuates his nationalistic views and provides little literary evidence to support the parallels between Olmec statues and Hindu-Buddhist culture. Firstly, yoga had spread throughout Asia during the decline of the Olmec civilization. Moreover, Buddhism arrived in China long after the collapse of the Olmecs. Secondly, Misra’s association with an earlier dynasty which likely never existed brings further doubt to his claims. The closest representation of the supposed Xia dynasty, the Erlitou, lived in central Asia without access to the sea and were capable of forging bronze, unlike the Olmec. Lastly, archaeologists have found significant evidence of pre-Olmec artifacts indicating a long history of development in the region rather than a sudden appearance that migration would have caused, had it occurred. Altogether, Misra’s claim of Olmec yogis who migrated from China is highly unlikely. Needless to say, it is more likely that the development of the first great Mesoamerican civilization was purely Mesoamerican, and without influence from Asian

Many researchers consider creation myths as the key to a particular mythological universe because they draw the boundaries for future stories, while establishing certain themes within that universe. In other words, creation myths function as an introduction to a specific universe which they belong in. Likewise, “The Creation of Ulligara and Zalgarra” is a Sumerian Myth that explains the relatively simple relationship between men and divine, while demonstrating many important themes for the Sumerian society. It defines men’s role in creation, illustrates nature’s significance, and explains the Sumerian society’s perception of resurrection.

According to Table 1.1, water vessel type W1 popularity increased over time, while water vessel type W2 decreased (refer to Chart #1). With this information, we may include the remaining archaeological data of water vessels in sites “D” and “GM” into the table with correct chronological order that pre-dates 2200 B.C. In essence, we now know the chronological flow of the sites from recent to oldest, which are “PGU”, “B”, “PGL”, “D” and “GM” respectively.

As a result of fulfilling desires, civilized Sumerians were required to use the resources around them at their disposal. A “tablet-box of cedar” and a “clasp of bronze,” would have required cedar trees to be cut down and bronze to be made from mined iron and copper. Unfortunately, due to overconsumption and necessity of these items, an irreversible amount of environmental degradation occurred, providing evidence that yet again, civilized Sumerian culture represented through the “tall, magnificent, and terrible,” King Gilgamesh is the worst version of humanity.

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.

The Bronze Ages impacted technology and history culturally. As a piece of evidence, the Bronze Ages had a cultural impact on technology and history is that the Bronze Ages opened up opportunities to the civilization by providing a more stable and larger structure of boats. For example, this idea resulted in the invention of “plank boats”. This piece of evidence supports my claim because the bronze impacted human achievement in a positive way by improving boat’s structures. Another piece of evidence that proves my claim is that bronze helped civilizations provide more defense for themselves because the

The artworks of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Aegean cultures, and Ancient Greece have similarities that not only reflect objects and images, but also the media, style and representation. These countries were not always wealthy, clever, creative and powerful enough to gain supplies, but they all find a way to create art with what they had. They have all influenced on each other’s cultures and belief through their artistic values and ways, ranging from the materials and tools they use, position and representation of their monuments and their religious intent.

In the book of Genesis, we are introduced to everything. From the creation stories to the sagas in between Genesis is an opening to the old testament and an opening to the book of exodus. This essay will contrast each creation story and describe each stories interest, explain how Genesis 12: 1-3 links the stories of 2: 4b-11 with the ancestral narratives in 12-50 and connect the sagas of Abraham/Sarah, Isaac/ Rebecca and Jacob/ Racheal.

In the kingdom of Benin, making castes with bronze was introduced to the rest of the world. “Now this kind of work is done with clay, and wax, and red metal (copper), and soldier (zinc) and lead, and fire…Next it is set aside to cool, then (the outside covering of clay) is broken off,” (Document 7). The art of creating bronze castes was very popular in Benin and the popularity soon spread to most of Northern Africa.

Archaeologists noticed that these items did not come from a central location, but came from several specific locations. By analyzing the artifacts, archaeologists are able to determine which cultures came into contact and traded with each other. Through isotope analysis, it was determined that the copper ingots were from the island of Cyprus. The pottery was similar to those found throughout Canaan. Also in the wreck, there were logs of blackwood which grew in primarily Africa. There were also glass ingots that were the same as glass found in Egypt and Mycenaean Greece. In addition, there was ivory from elephants and hippopotamus primarily from Syria. Since all of these items were on one trading vessel, archaeologists were able to determine that there was “a vast trade network was well established among various racial and linguistic groups centered on the Mediterranean, from subtropical Africa and the Near East to northern Europe” (Bass 699). Therefore, underwater archaeology shows that there was multicultural trade during the Late Bronze Age. The various civilizations along the Mediterranean coast worked together in a cooperative fashion and relied on each other in order to thrive during the Late Bronze Age. In addition, trade was not localized but widespread throughout the Mediterranean.

In the 7th Century AD, an important individual was buried inside a ship in East Anglia. The ship most likely hauled up from the nearby river, a burial chamber was built in the center of the massive vessel. Luckily grave robbers did not reach the ship burial as they did other nearby burial mounds, because the ship was rich in history and artifacts including gold, silver, bowls, spoons, weapons, drinking horns and much more. Originally discovered in 1939, the artifacts and ship burial have been closely examined another 2 times. The artifacts found within the magnificent burial site have created a lot of stir over the past 80 years. Theories have changed on the significance and origins of the artifacts due to changing hypothesis or the arrival of new and different evidence. Because there are dozens of artifacts within Sutton Hoo, this paper will be focusing on a select four of them including; the ‘baptismal’ spoons, the Merovingian coin hoard, the whetstone, and the scepter. According to scholars over the past 80 years, how have opinions, evidence, or assumptions changed relating to these exact artifacts? This paper will be taking a contemporary look at the perspectives of different scholars on different artifacts and, finally, analyze why these perspectives have shifted or changed over time. To my knowledge, scholars do give credit to previous perspectives, but no scholar has every brought all the perspectives together and analyzed their findings.

Metalurgy first made an appearance in Europe during the Neolithic. (Levack et al 2009:16) Architecture improved and in many areas dwellings were made with sturdy supplies like stone and brick. Some villages, particularly in Southwest Asia, were surrounded by impressive stone walls for protection against enemies. (Leonard 1973:18)

This artefact tells historians and archaeologists that the iceman had often done copper work, and puts into question the copper and bronze age,

of placing votive statues of himself in temples. An Akkadian lost wax casting, the earliest

Visualize a ball of clay, perfectly round, cold, and anxiously waiting for its potter to form it into a masterpiece. The ball is prepared for molding and the process begins. The strong hands of the potter pull the ball, squish the ball, and rubs out any imperfections. The potter brushes the newly shaped clay with glaze that seems to be dull and lacks beauty at every angle, but little does the viewer know that this pot holds secrets because their eye deceives them and doesn’t allow them to see the lively color lying beneath the surface. The potter makes yet another examination of the pot to be sure that he has erased any blemish or imperfection before gently placing it into the kiln. The kiln fires the pot allowing the pot’s colors to come through