ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AND RELIGION Religion and Society from a Sociological Perspective

THE PRIMITIVE MEN Primitive men and the environment Primitive men and the environment Forces of nature and the search for explanations Forces of nature and the search for explanations Interpretation of natural events and beings as religious phenomena Interpretation of natural events and beings as religious phenomena Towards a social life: the tribe Towards a social life: the tribe Collective labor, collective identity and collective belief Collective labor, collective identity and collective belief

ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGION TOTEMISM TOTEMISM The Totem as the symbol whereby the mystical powers surrounding the members of the tribe are concentrated The Totem as the symbol whereby the mystical powers surrounding the members of the tribe are concentrated Mana and the totem Mana and the totem Mana, totem and taboo Mana, totem and taboo

ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGION ANIMISM ANIMISM Worshipping the spirits of nature Worshipping the spirits of nature Mankind as an inseparable element of nature Mankind as an inseparable element of nature

ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGION ANCESTOR CULT ANCESTOR CULT The concept of Spirit: Death and Sleep The concept of Spirit: Death and Sleep Worshipping the Spirits of the ancestors Worshipping the Spirits of the ancestors

ANCIENT FORMS OF RELIGION From pastoral nomads (hunters- gatherers) to settled social communities (agrarian) From pastoral nomads (hunters- gatherers) to settled social communities (agrarian) Division of labor and specialization Division of labor and specialization Social life, social order and laws Social life, social order and laws Social hierarchy Social hierarchy Systematic society – systematic belief forms Systematic society – systematic belief forms The Pantheons (Polytheism) The Pantheons (Polytheism)

THE PANTHEON Personification of natural beings and forces, even emotions Personification of natural beings and forces, even emotions Gods and Goddesses regulating the lives and social order of mankind Gods and Goddesses regulating the lives and social order of mankind Pantheon: sum of Gods and Goddesses in any polytheist belief system Pantheon: sum of Gods and Goddesses in any polytheist belief system Different communities, different names, identical functions Different communities, different names, identical functions The Chaos-Order theme in polytheist religions: Gods and pre-Gods The Chaos-Order theme in polytheist religions: Gods and pre-Gods

CHAOS & ORDER Sumerian and Babylonian Pantheons Sumerian and Babylonian Pantheons Cosmogony: Creation of the universe and its chaotic situation Cosmogony: Creation of the universe and its chaotic situation Chaotic cosmic forces giving birth to Gods and Goddesses Chaotic cosmic forces giving birth to Gods and Goddesses The tale of Marduk and Tiamat The tale of Marduk and Tiamat

MARDUK AND TIAMAT

CHAOS & ORDER Ancient Egyptians Ancient Egyptians Re (Ra) and Apophis Re (Ra) and Apophis Ancient Greeks Ancient Greeks Gods (order) rebelling against the Titans (chaos) Gods (order) rebelling against the Titans (chaos)

ZEUS & KRONOS

AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND AGRARIAN THEMES IN RELIGION Osiris Cult in Osiris Cult in Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt

DEMETER AND DIONYSOS CULTS IN ANCIENT GREECE

A NEW THEME IN POLYTHEISM: GOOD GODS and EVIL GODS The Zoroastrian Religion in ancient Persia The Zoroastrian Religion in ancient Persia Ahuramazda (good) and Ahriman (evil) Ahuramazda (good) and Ahriman (evil) Ancient Turks Ancient Turks Ulgen (good) and Erlik (evil) Ulgen (good) and Erlik (evil)

TOWARDS MONOTHEIST RELIGIONS The Aton Cult in Ancient Egypt The Aton Cult in Ancient Egypt