cilivilization
civilazation is defined as "a state that binds people together to transcend tides of family, clanio, tribe, and village." (Woolf, H.B., 1974, p.141) By using this definition, one can compare and contrast the many different traits that the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations had. Both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the three Egyptian funerary documents are very good examples of written documents that show these two differences in civilization. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a long narrative poem which shows the many trials set before a young hero. (Andrea, A.; Overfield, J.H., 1998, p.8) This epic was discovered on twelve clay tablets in the remains of a library dated back to the seventeenth century before Christ. (Andrea, A.; Overfield, J.H., 1998, p.8) Within this epic, the reader will get an idea of how the Sumerians lived and communicated within their community. Similarly, the Egyptian traits of civilization can be explained when the Coffin Texts are analyzed. The three funerary d!ocuments, which will be discussed later, were found written inside wooden coffins of people could who afford expensive funerals. (Andrea, A.; Overfield, J.H., 1998, p.18) Many of these writing concentrated on death and disaster, and the miseries and fears
that are associated with it. These three writings are also very helpful by giving the reader a very descriptive overview of how the Egyptian civilization worked. Although these four documents were written in different locations, they show many similarities and differences in traits of civilization, and thoughts on the afterlife. The Epic of Gilgamesh is known as one of the greatest works of literature from the time of the Mesopotamian Era. (Andrea, A.; Overfield, J.H., 1998, p.8) The hero, Gilgamesh, was the ruler of the city-state Uruk from 2700 to 2500 B.C. He was also very well known for his building of massive walls and temples. (Andrea, A.; Overfield, J.H., 1998, p.8) His epic follows the basic theme of the humans strugg! I have not killed, I have not made anyone suffer..." (Andrea, A.; Overfield, J.H., 1998, p.21) These are just a few examples of some of the beliefs that the Egyptians had. This differs slightly from the examples given within The Epic of Gilgamesh. When Gilgamesh approaches Utnapishtim, he asks how he can be a god and attain immortality. He is presented a chance of immortality by completing two tasks while on earth, and fails. The Sumerians believed they could defeat death if they proved themselves while living, rather than being faithful throughout their life. This is a very descriptive example of the differences between the Sumerian and Egyptians beliefs of the afterlife. Even though the ancient civilization of Egypt and Sumer occurred almost at the same time, their views on how a person should live their life and how they got to the afterlife differed greatly. This had a lot to do with the geographic area where the cultures were based in. Egyptians, being relatively protected! from attacks, had lives that looked toward the future and planned extensively for death and burial, while Sumerians were constantl
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1245
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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