54
T
he earliest civilizations
emerged when scattered
nomadic tribes began
to settle in order to raise crops.
Previously localized religious
beliefs and practices evolved,
and the beliefs of different tribes
amalgamated around common
deities and mythologies. Complex
pantheons emerged, and an often
sophisticated body of myths arose
from the various strands that had
come together, describing the role
of the gods and mythical creatures
in the workings of the world.
These more formal religions
offered explanations for natural
phenomena, such as the sun,
moon, seasons, weather, and the
gods’ influence on them. They
often included creation stories
and tales of the interaction of
gods and humans. It is clear from
elaborate tombs left by the early
civilizations, such as the Egyptians,
that belief in an afterlife existed,
and that rituals of death and burial
played a major part in religion.
As people settled in ever bigger
communities, temples dedicated
to the gods became focal points in
the towns and cities.
Civilization also gave rise to
various forms of written language,
which allowed these stories of
gods and creation to be recorded
and embellished over the millennia.
Religious inscriptions first appeared
on the walls of tombs and temples
in early civilizations, such as that
of Egypt. Elsewhere, distinctive
traditions were also taking shape
as Indian, Chinese, Japanese,
Norse, and Celtic folk religions
were incorporated into the belief
systems of the emerging nations.Coalescing faiths
By about 1500 BCE, regional
religious traditions were well
established in many parts of
the world, and new, more advanced,
societies arose, requiring more
elaborate belief systems. Some
new religions also appeared,
notably Zoroastrianism, which
was arguably the first monotheistic
faith, while the foundations of
Judaism were also being laid down.
In India, the numerous local
religious beliefs were incorporated
into the Vedic tradition, based
on ancient scriptures called the
Vedas. This later became the
pluralistic amalgam now known
as Hinduism, but alongside this
came Jainism, which placed more
emphasis on a correct way of life
than on the worship of deities, and
Buddhism, which was arguablyINTRODUCTION
C. 3000 BCE
C. 3000 BCE
1700 –1400 BCE
C. 1600 BCE
25 TH–24TH CENTURIES
20 TH–16TH CENTURIES
C. 1200 BCE
The pantheon of
Greek mythology
evolves in the
Minoan culture
of Crete.Celtic clans spread
across much of Europe,
each tribe having its
own local deities.Tomb inscriptions known
as the Pyramid Texts,
the oldest known
religious writings,
suggest an Ancient
Egyptian
belief in an afterlife.According to legend,
Romulus usurps
his twin brother
Remus to found the
city of Rome.In the First
Babylonian Dynasty
in Mesopotamia,
a complex mythology
is recorded in the
Enuma Elish.Ancient Egypt is
unified and the Early
Dynastic period begins.
A cult of a divine Pharaoh
is established.The probable date
of the foundation of
Zoroastrianism
in Persia, although
this may have been
as early as the
18th century BCE.Scandinavian
peoples begin to make
figures of their gods
and goddesses, and
develop a recognizable
Norse mythology.8 TH CENTURY BCE