The Olmec Civilization and the Use of Bitumen Geoarchaeological research has identified origin sources of bitumen used by the great Olmec civilization of the tropical lowlands of central America, 3000 years ago. The project, described by Olmec scholar David Grove as a “break-though in source analyzing bitumen in Mesoamerica”, may shed light on the vast trade networks throughout prehistoric North America. Historic and Prehistoric Uses of Bitumen Bitumen is a black, oily, viscous material that is a naturally-occurring organic byproduct of decomposed organic materials. Also known as asphalt or tar, bitumen was mixed with other materials throughout prehistory and throughout the world for use as a sealant, adhesive, building mortar, incense, and decorative application on pots, buildings, or human skin. Archaeologists have been investigating the sources of bitumen, that is to say, from whence came bitumen used in ancient settlements, since the 1980s, beginning with materials from archaeological sites in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Sources
Japan - Ancient Cultures On the basis of archaeological finds, it has been postulated that hominid activity in Japan may date as early as 200,000 B.C., when the islands were connected to the Asian mainland. Although some scholars doubt this early date for habitation, most agree that by around 40,000 B.C. glaciation had reconnected the islands with the mainland. Based on archaeological evidence, they also agree that by between 35,000 and 30,000 B.C. Homo sapiens had migrated to the islands from eastern and southeastern Asia and had well-established patterns of hunting and gathering and stone toolmaking . Stone tools, inhabitation sites, and human fossils from this period have been found throughout all the islands of Japan. More stable living patterns gave rise by around 10,000 B.C. to a Neolithic or, as some scholars argue, Mesolithic culture. By the late Jomon period, a dramatic shift had taken place according to archaeological studies.
The Gods of the Olmec The Gods of the Olmec The mysterious Olmec Civilization flourished between roughly 1200 and 400 B.C. on Mexico's gulf coast. Although there are still more mysteries than answers about this ancient culture, modern researchers have determined that religion was of great importance to the Olmec. Several supernatural beings appear and re-appear in the few examples of Olmec art that survive today. The Olmec Culture The Olmec culture was the first major Mesoamerican civilization, thriving in the steamy lowlands of Mexico's gulf coast, mainly in the modern-day states of Tabasco and Veracruz. Olmec Religion Researchers have done a remarkable job of learning so much about Olmec religion and society. Complex A at La Venta is an Olmec ceremonial site which was largely preserved; much about Olmec religion was learned there. Olmec Gods The Olmec apparently had gods, or at least powerful supernatural beings, which were worshipped or respected in some way. The Olmec Dragon The Bird Monster The Fish Monster
Japanese Feudalism and European Feudalism Although Japan and Europe did not have any direct contact with one another during the medieval and early modern periods, they independently developed very similar socio-political systems. Often, these systems are labeled as feudal. What is feudalism? The great French historian Marc Bloch defined it this way: "A subject peasantry; widespread use of the service tenement (i.e. the fief) instead of a salary...; supremacy of a class of specialized warriors; ties of obedience and protection which bind man to man...; [and] fragmentation of authority - leading inevitably to disorder." In other words, there are peasants who are tied to the farm land and work for protection plus a portion of the harvest, rather than for money. Similarities between Japanese and European Feudalism Feudal Japanese and European societies were built on a system of hereditary classes. In both feudal Japan and Europe, constant warfare made warriors the most important class.
NOVA | Archeology of the Hebrew Bible Posted 11.18.08 NOVA William Dever, Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona, has investigated the archeology of the ancient Near East for more than 30 years and authored almost as many books on the subject. In the following interview, Dever describes some of the most significant archeological finds related to the Hebrew Bible, including his own hot-button discovery that the Israelites' God was linked to a female goddess called Asherah. Thousands of clay figurines like this one suggest that the early Israelites worshipped more than a single God. Enlarge Photo credit: © WGBH Educational Foundation Proving the Bible NOVA: Have biblical archeologists traditionally tried to find evidence that events in the Bible really happened? William Dever: From the beginnings of what we call biblical archeology, perhaps 150 years ago, scholars, mostly western scholars, have attempted to use archeological data to prove the Bible. But perhaps we were asking the wrong questions. The faith of Abraham No.
The Basics of Ancient Hebrew Introduction to the Ancient Hebrew CultureBy Jeff A. Benner A language is closely tied to the culture of those who speak the language. In the case of the Hebrews who were a nomadic people of the Near East, their language is closely connected to their nomadic culture. All modern day translations of the Bible are written from a very westernized perspective and have erased the original Hebraic, Eastern, perspective of the original words in the text. It is simply assumed by most people that everyone everywhere thinks in pretty much the same manner. In my many years of research into the language of the Bible I have discovered three keys to proper interpretation of the words and ideas within the text. Culture The Hebrew language, as is the case with every language, is closely tied to the culture the speakers and writers belong to. Action Our modern languages are the product of a Greco-Roman world where abstract words are prolific. Function Is this description telling us what the ark looked like?
Welcome to Living in Ancient Egypt More Breeds Added! If you have any comments or ideas? Or need any kind of information about Ancient Egypt, please I'll be glad to help you! Webrings The Achaemenid Persian Empire (550–330 B.C.) The Achaemenid Persian empire was the largest that the ancient world had seen, extending from Anatolia and Egypt across western Asia to northern India and Central Asia. Its formation began in 550 B.C., when King Astyages of Media, who dominated much of Iran and eastern Anatolia (Turkey), was defeated by his southern neighbor Cyrus II ("the Great"), king of Persia (r. 559–530 B.C.). This upset the balance of power in the Near East. The Lydians of western Anatolia under King Croesus took advantage of the fall of Media to push east and clashed with Persian forces. A crisis at court forced Cambyses to return to Persia but he died en route and Darius I ("the Great") emerged as king (r. 521–486 B.C.), claiming in his inscriptions that a certain "Achaemenes" was his ancestor. Darius' son Xerxes (r. 486–465 B.C.) attempted to force the mainland Greeks to acknowledge Persian power, but Sparta and Athens refused to give way.
All About the Babylonian Gods written by: ContessaD • edited by: Noreen Gunnell • updated: 1/5/2012 A lot of myths and legends surround Babylonian gods. Most of these tales are replicated in the religious beliefs of other ancient civilizations, like the Greeks and the Romans. What Gave Rise to Polytheism? China History: Chronology, Dynasty Qin Han Tang Song Yuan Ming Qing China, one of the countries that can boast of an ancient civilization, has a long and mysterious history - almost 5,000 years of it! Like most other great civilizations of the world, China can trace her culture back to a blend of small original tribes which have expanded till they became the great country we have today. It is recorded that Yuanmou man is the oldest hominoid in China and the oldest dynasty is Xia Dynasty. From the long history of China, there emerge many eminent people that have contributed a lot to the development of the whole country and to the enrichment of her history. Among them, there are emperors like Li Shimin (emperor Taizong of the Tang), philosophers like Confucius, great patriotic poets like Qu Yuan and so on. Chinese society has progressed through five major stages - Primitive Society, Slave Society, Feudal Society, Semi-feudal and Semi-colonial Society, and Socialist Society. Chinese History Chronology
Cunieform Writing - Bill of Sale This image depicts a Bill of Sale written in cunieform. Now maintained by the Library of Congress, and referred to as "Tablet 34," it was likely created circa 2050 BC (in "Shulgi, year 44"). The Bill of Sale involves transfer of livestock. The Library of Congress tells us more (see "Bill of Sale," tablet 34): Not yet fully translated, but pertains to receipt of livestock. A drawing of the tablet's inscription, and a partial transliteration, is also available for viewing at the Library of Congress.
Code of Hammurabi | Babylonian laws Code of Hammurabi, the most complete and perfect extant collection of Babylonian laws, developed during the reign of Hammurabi (1792–1750 bc) of the 1st dynasty of Babylon. It consists of his legal decisions that were collected toward the end of his reign and inscribed on a diorite stela set up in Babylon’s temple of Marduk, the national god of Babylonia. These 282 case laws include economic provisions (prices, tariffs, trade, and commerce), family law (marriage and divorce), as well as criminal law (assault, theft) and civil law (slavery, debt). Penalties varied according to the status of the offenders and the circumstances of ... (100 of 270 words) <ul><li><a href="/EBchecked/media/99581/Diorite-stela-inscribed-with-the-Code-of-Hammurabi-18th-century?
HISTORY OF THE MAYA The Maya then and now: from 1500 BC The Maya, occupying the triangle of land framed by the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, have the longest identifiable history of any American people. Social customs, language and physical characteristics (such as unusually round heads) suggest an unbroken link between the American Indians living in the region today and their predecessors 3500 years ago. Since much of the area is jungle (which preserves monuments for the archaeologists by concealing them from others), their culture is also better known than most. The first American script: 2nd c. Of the various early civilizations of central America, the Maya make the greatest use of writing. Credit for this should possibly go back as far as the Olmecs. The Mayan script is hieroglyphic with some phonetic elements. Thus the priests and the palace officials of early America succeed in preserving writing for their own privileged purposes. The Mayan periods: 1500 BC -1542
The Rise and Fall of the Mayan Empire The Rise and Fall of the Mayan Empire Scientists are using space satellites to unravel one of the great mysteries of the ancient world. Listen to this story via streaming audio, a downloadable file, or get help. November 15, 2004: Where the rain forests of Guatemala now stand, a great civilization once flourished. The people of Mayan society built vast cities, ornate temples, and towering pyramids. This vibrant "Classic Period" of Mayan civilization thrived for six centuries. Right: Mayan ruins in Guatemala. The fall of the Maya has long been one of the great mysteries of the ancient world. "By learning what the Maya did right and what they did wrong, maybe we can help local people find sustainable ways to farm the land while stopping short of the excesses that doomed the Maya," says Tom Sever at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Sever, NASA's only archeologist, has been using satellites to examine Mayan ruins. Left: NASA archeologist Tom Sever. It's an intriguing idea.