The Mythology Of The Mesopotamian Civilization - 1233 Words

Mesopotamian civilization holds the title for oldest religion, but really what they had was what we call today, mythology. It is the first record we have of any religion. Everything they did was to please and pacify the gods so that they could go through their lives without any unexpected events. They believed that there was a god for different things such as the sun, love, death, storm and wind. They relied on the gods to control natural disasters. When catastrophes happened it was because something had angered one of the gods. They used their religion to connect the dots between nature and a higher power than themselves. Mesopotamians saw gods at work in every aspect of nature and believed every human effort was meant to serve the†¦show more content†¦When the two brothers entered the Cedar Forest, they are terrified. It is very unlikely that they would have lived through the fight with Humbaba if Shamash had not sent thirteen winds to immobilize the monster. All areas of life were consumed with the gods and what they wanted. The Mesopotamians considered it a sign to know that they were doing something wrong when a sudden incident happens. The priests and kings could not make an important decision without first running it by the gods to see if it fit in with their agenda. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the greatest works of literature steming from Mesopotamian culture, Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu have to ask for permission from the gods first before they can start their journey to kill the beast of the Cedar Forest named Humbaba. About 2700 to 2000 BC, a literary tradition developed in Sumer, one in which left an enduring imprint on the people around them and after. The greatest Mesopotamian literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh, became the forerunner of the Genesis account of the Great Flood. The gods sent the flood to destroy the people because of their continuous babble. But they warned Utnapishtim to build a boat with specific dimensions, this saved him and his family. The human race began again through him. The gods had ultimate control and could end humanity whenever they wanted. Mesopotamian worldview was pessimistic. Hospitality was shown