Society
13,600BC. A great flood inundates much of the world.
3500BC. Sumerian civilization marks the beginning human civilization.
Literature
3000-2000BC? The Epic of Gilgamesh. Babylon. Epic. Gilgamesh, legendary king. Sumerian origin; Enkidu, primeval man; Utnapishtim, Babylonian Noah. Gilgamesh was a tyrant. Enkidu created to challenge him. Wrestled and defeated Gilgamesh. They became friends. In the sacred wood, guarded by the monster Humbaba who breathed fire, spread plague and with one eye turned men to stone, they cut down a cedar. Defeated and beheaded the monster with the help of the gods.
Ishtar tried to seduce Gilgamesh. He declined because she had the habit of turning her lovers into beasts. She was furious and sent a storm bull which Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed and offered its heart to the sun god.
Enkidu dreamed that he would die and he did. Gilgamesh searched for Enkidu, met Utnapishtim, only mortal to escape death. He had ridden out the flood in an ark. Gilgamesh learns that no mortal can know the secret of eternal life. He finds an herb that restores youth, but it is eaten by a snake. Gilgamesh learns to accept death as inevitable.
Society
2500BC. Sumerians develop a cuneiform script alphabet of some 600 simplified signs.
Literature
Literature
3000-2000BC? The Epic of Gilgamesh. Babylon. Epic. Gilgamesh, legendary king. Sumerian origin; Enkidu, primeval man; Utnapishtim, Babylonian Noah. Gilgamesh was a tyrant. Enkidu created to challenge him. Wrestled and defeated Gilgamesh. They became friends. In the sacred wood, guarded by the monster Humbaba who breathed fire, spread plague and with one eye turned men to stone, they cut down a cedar. Defeated and beheaded the monster with the help of the gods.
Ishtar tried to seduce Gilgamesh. He declined because she had the habit of turning her lovers into beasts. She was furious and sent a storm bull which Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed and offered its heart to the sun god.
Enkidu dreamed that he would die and he did. Gilgamesh searched for Enkidu, met Utnapishtim, only mortal to escape death. He had ridden out the flood in an ark. Gilgamesh learns that no mortal can know the secret of eternal life. He finds an herb that restores youth, but it is eaten by a snake. Gilgamesh learns to accept death as inevitable.
Society
2500BC. Sumerians develop a cuneiform script alphabet of some 600 simplified signs.
Literature
2100BC? War of the Gods. Anonymous. Babylon. Epic. Babylonian epic poem. Myth of creation of world and establishment of divine hierarchy. One of the oldest known creation myths. Striking parallels to Greek myths.
Society
1950BC. Babylonian King Hammurabi’s code. Generally humanitarian but features “eye for an eye…,” literally.
1700BC. Judaism founded by Abraham. Replaces human sacrifice with animal sacrifice.
Literature
1700-1400BC. The Poem of Baal. Anonymous. Canaan. Epic. Myth growing out of Canaanite rituals: fertile vs. infertile seasons; death, revival of young god. Baal vs. the god of death, Mot. Mot wins. Baal resurrected. Suggests Greek myths. The biblical books of Joel and Zephaniah contain satires of heathen Canaanite myths, rituals in the Old Testament.
Society
1650BC. Jacob follows his father Isaac (son of Abraham) in propagating the Jewish religion.
Literature
Society
1950BC. Babylonian King Hammurabi’s code. Generally humanitarian but features “eye for an eye…,” literally.
1700BC. Judaism founded by Abraham. Replaces human sacrifice with animal sacrifice.
Literature
1700-1400BC. The Poem of Baal. Anonymous. Canaan. Epic. Myth growing out of Canaanite rituals: fertile vs. infertile seasons; death, revival of young god. Baal vs. the god of death, Mot. Mot wins. Baal resurrected. Suggests Greek myths. The biblical books of Joel and Zephaniah contain satires of heathen Canaanite myths, rituals in the Old Testament.
Society
1650BC. Jacob follows his father Isaac (son of Abraham) in propagating the Jewish religion.
Literature
1500BC. Rig Veda. Anonymous. India. Hymns. 1028 hymns in 10 books or mandalas; divinely revealed to ancient seers.
1400BC. Poem of Aqhat. Anonymous. Canaan. Epic. Contains basic elements found in seasonal rites. Death and resurrection.
Society
1275BC. Moses and Aaron begin 40-year Israelite migration after 3 centuries of Egyptian oppression.
1400BC. Poem of Aqhat. Anonymous. Canaan. Epic. Contains basic elements found in seasonal rites. Death and resurrection.
Society
1275BC. Moses and Aaron begin 40-year Israelite migration after 3 centuries of Egyptian oppression.
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