How Socioeconomic Factors Influenced Religion in Ancient Societies and Civilizations - Essay Example

How socioeconomic factors influenced religion in ancient societies and civilizations College The Egyptian Society The ancient Egyptian society interacted with other societies including the Mesopotamians, Phoenicians and other African societies. They were a part of a wider society. They were an agricultural society, and the Nile River was the source of water and irrigation that made ancient Egypt a fertile place. By 5000 BCE, agricultural activities were so intense that they led to an explosion in the population. This massive population led to the need for organization as agriculture supported a huge population and became the livelihood for many Egyptians. As a result of these agricultural activities, the river Nile became a revered aspect of ancient Egyptian lives. To maintain law and order, authority had to be established in the forms of Kingdoms headed by divine rulers and by 3000 BCE small local kingdoms had been established. These Kingdoms united the people of Egypt. Trading activities were established as early as 4000 BCE. For instance by 3100 BCE King Menes had established a cultural and political centre in Memphis near Cairo. 1These encouraged the growth of religious activities. The development of iron too influenced the growth of religion. After 1000 BCE Egyptians produced iron in large quantities. Iron was used to construct images of gods. The Nile River was a means of transport while local transport was facilitated by the use of wheeled vehicles and donkey caravans. Transport led to long distance trade and as Egyptians traded with other societies they got exposed to religious influences. As with any economy, transport the exportation of labor and trade leads to economic growth and enhanced interaction between different people. These factors catalyzed the advancement of religion in ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt is among the earliest civilizations to discover writing. The discovery of writing had a profound effect in the development of religion. By 3200 BCE writing was evident in Egypt in the form of pictographic. 2This was soon followed by the use of symbols in temples. In particular the papyrus weed found on the shores of the Nile River was very influential in the advancement of writing. It not only facilitated writing but helped in the preservation of written materials. Other than religion papyrus reeds were also used for administrative, commercial and literary purposes. Between 2600 and 600 BCE Egyptians were already using hieratic scripts. Education was valued and seen as a means to a decent, comfortable, and dignified lifestyle. The advancement of education influenced the growth of religion since it allowed people to read and interpret religious writings. They believed that gods were instrumental for prosperity and they revered Amon and Re gods. Amon was the deity of the sun, creation, fertility and reproduction while Re was the sun god. They also believed in a universal god who ruled over the entire universe and among their strongest religious beliefs was life after death. This was symbolized by the practice of mummification. Egyptian rulers, the Pharaohs were buried together with their close relatives in the belief that the preservation of their bodies would lead to prosperity. This activity connected social, religious and economic factors. The society believed in judgment after death in which the morally upright would be rewarded with prosperity in the form of agricultural prosperity. The Harrapan Society Between 2500 to 2000 BCE the Harappan society was controlled in the cities of Harapppan and Mohenjo- daro. These cities were economical centers abound with professional weavers, goldsmith, potters, masons, jewelers and artisans. It was a wealthy and stratified society where the rulers were bestowed with considerable authority over the ruled. These rulers were based in citadels that combined religious and administrative functions. Harappan cities had advanced water and sewage systems. It was a complex society with even more complex beliefs and values. This called for extraordinary organizational skills. Unlike the Egyptians however Harappans did not have writings. They compensated for these with carvings made from copper, gold and bronze. 3These carvings were used to make figurines and statues that symbolized their religious beliefs and gods. Just like the ancient Egyptian society Harappans placed high value on fertility and agriculture. These two factors were linked with creation and procreation and hence the connection between socioeconomic and religious factors. Their deities were more or less similar to Hindu deities and trees and animals were used to symbolize gods. The period starting 1900 BCE heralded the decline of the Harappan society as several disasters led to them to abandon the Indus Valley. Despite this their social and cultural traditions were adopted by other societies from the region of India. The Aryan Society The decline of the Harappan society was followed by the settlement of the Aryans in the Indus Valley and by 1500 BCE the Aryans had established agricultural and herding communities in the valley. This was followed by interactions and marriages with the valleys original occupants the Dravidians. The Dravidians had strong religious traditions and the interactions between these two communities formed social and cultural foundations that are still strong in present day India. Aryans were pastoralists who reared sheep, goats, cattle and horses. These horses were connected to wagons and chariots which facilitated transport allowing them to move around and mingle with the religiously advanced Dravidians. 4The horse and chariots also formed a formidable war weapon and Aryans were frequently able to conquer their enemies in numerous war exploits. The Vedas were developed between 1400 and 900 BCE during the Vedic age. They were regarded as a sign of wisdom bestowed upon priests who gave light and direction to the society. The Vedas were used to compose prayers, hymns, poems, and songs in praise of their gods during religious activities and rituals. During the Vedic Age Aryans had chiefdoms headed by Rajas or Kings who were assisted by village elders. The development of language also influenced religious activities. In particular the Sanskrit language played an important role. As with most ancient communities agriculture was an important activity among the Aryans. They grew wheat, barley and cotton in the Indus Valley. Bumpy harvests were seen as a sign of prosperity and blessings by the gods. There was a deep connection between agricultural prosperity and religion. Aryans were a very warlike people5 and a law book was developed to guide their society. This law book governed the society and among other roles outlined the duties of men and women. Just like the Egyptian society the Aryans were very patriarchal and their cultural practices were enforced by the formation of religious beliefs to cement cohesion. For example among the religious cum social practices was Sati. Sati is a death ritual in which women were expected to throw themselves on the pyres of their husbands and commit suicide. The fusion of the Aryan and Dravidian society gave birth to another social and religious practice that is still strong in India today, the caste system. Many of these beliefs formed the foundation of the Hindu religion that is over 2 million years old and has millions of followers in India and the South East part of Asia. Aryans were fascinated by many Dravidian religious practices and adopted them. Reflecting their violent nature the chief Aryan deity was Indra, a violent and drank war god. Indra was connected with the weather, rain, water, crops and the land and also personified the unstable and turbulent Vedic society. Other gods were based on features such as the sun, moon, sky, fire and health. Aryans also had a moral god Varna who punished evil deeds and afflicted victims with disease and death as punishment. An agricultural people, Aryans sacrificed animals and harvests to gain favor from the gods. These rituals involved the slaughter of cattle, sheep goats and horses and they believed the gods joined them to eat and drink. They believed that pleasing the gods would yield military success, large families and long lives. These factors were tied to their rituals. In conclusion many ancient societies had a uniquely interwoven relationship between social, economic, cultural and religious factors. In many societies administrative rulers were also religious leaders and agricultural prosperity was interpreted as a blessing from the gods who had to be offered sacrifices to pour their blessings on the society. Bibliography Albert M. Craig, William A. Graham & Donald Kagan. The Heritage of World Civilizations Chicago. Prentice Hall, 2013. Ian Shaw, The Oxford Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Jerry H. Bentley, Terri McGraw, Herbert F. Zeigler. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 2015. Read More