Download Cultural: Polytheism

Mohamad Adada
Mr. Tavernia
Period 5
World History AP
Packet B
Cultural: Polytheism
Polytheism is a form of religion, in which the follower believes in multiple gods, as opposed to
monotheism in which there is only one god or atheism in which there is no belief in a god. Many
religions over the years have been polytheistic, the first of which, and the most followed, is
Sanatana Dharma, also known as Hinduism. Hinduism, found mainly in India, believes in
multiple gods, the most influential being Brahman. Hinduism also follows the four Veda texts.
The ancient civilisation of Egypt believed mainly in polytheism, with gods like Ra and Osiris.
Death was very heavily influenced by their beliefs. Their ruler, a pharaoh, was considered a god,
who became another god in the afterlife.
Anam Ahmed
Mr.Tavernia
AP World History/Period 5
Packet : B
Culture : Göbekli Tepe
In present day southeastern Turkey, a remnant of possibly the oldest Ancient temple rests
on a hill overlooking a valley. It is named Göbekli Tepe. It consists of a structure made of
massive stones that are about 11,000 years old. Some have elaborate carvings of different
animals, such as foxes, lions, and vultures. The stones are arranged in rings with the same basic
layout: two large t-shaped stones in the center with slightly smaller stones surrounding them,
facing inwards. Göbekli Tepe is often compared to Stonehenge, but Göbekli Tepe predates
Stonehenge by about 6,000 years.
It is named “the first human- built holy place”, at least that we know of. Archaeologists
suspect it was a religious temple because there was no evidence suggesting that early humans
lived there. Only 5 percent of the suspected 22 acres of has been excavated. There are 5 rings
excavated but about 18 that have not been.
Now on a brown, arid hill, Göbekli Tepe used to have a verdant landscape overlooking
the view from 1,000 feet above the valley. It sits at the northern edge of the Fertile Crescent
which means that is used to be an area of mild climate and arable land, allowing plant and animal
life to flourish.
Alex Andreozzi
Mr. Tavernia
Ap World History P.5
Packet B
Theme 2: Osiris, Isis, and Horus
Osiris was granted the throne of Egypt instead of his brother Set. Set was very
angry with this, but became even more enraged when Osiris went to travel the kingdom
and gave his throne to his wife, Isis, instead of him. So Set decided to kill his brother,
and took over the throne. Osiris’s wife Isis searched for his body, and eventually found
it. Osiris became the king of underworld, and his son became the king of Egypt. It is
said that when a pharaoh takes over Egypt, they become the living form of Horus. When
they die, they turn into Osiris. This is an ancient Egyptian myth. It relates the theme of
culture because it was spread across all of Egyptian culture. It is what the Egyptians
believed in, and though it was changed over time it still retained most of its form.
William Block
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History Period 5
Packet B
Development and Interaction of Cultures: Science and Technology
The beginning of humans started in the stone age which occurred around 2.6 million 4,000 years ago. During this time many things were made of stone, but some other tools were
crafted using bone, wood, and even skin. The Paleolithic Age and Neolithic age were when
humans began to evolve and create agriculture which led to civilizations. Religion or belief
systems began to develop as civilizations grew larger. Most of these religions were polytheistic
such as Zoroastrianism.
With times came new technology also. This included the wheel, wheelbarrows, bows, and
other weapons. This was all possible with the creation of pottery, metallurgy and other forms of
new technology and jobs. This was a cause of job specialization which grew out of the
introduction of agriculture. This opened up new ways of labor and led to hierarchies and newer
technology. People began to trade weapons and iron by traveling using horses or other forms of
transportation made available because of technology such as the chariot. Over time bronze was
discovered which was used in making tools. It is a combination of two other minerals, copper
and
tin.
Yasmine Charles-Harris
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History / Period 5
Packet: B
[Cultural]: (Pottery)
The earliest containers used by the neolithic peoples range
from hollowed out pieces of stone or wood to more elaborate
artifacts such as bags made out of animal skin and baskets.
Basketry was one of the earliest crafts to be developed;
however, they are not good for containing liquids. Early
technology found clay, which is cheap, widely available, and
compared to stone, relatively light. Usually, early neolithic
pottery was not decorated; however, when the were
decorated, patterns were cut and pressed into the damp clay.
Invented in 3000 BCE, the potter’s wheel made it possible to
create things that were perfectly round, since it was not
possible to get any pot to be perfectly round. In the 6th to 5th century BCE, the Greeks
developed vases, the most sophisticated tradition of early pottery. However, these pots were
suffering from a major disadvantage in the fact that although fired earthenware is tough, it is
porous, meaning that liquid may soak into it and can leak through it. This was the purpose for
inventing glazed ceramics in the 9th to 1st centuries BCE. This glaze would be applied to the
outer and/or inner surfaces of an unfired pot.
This forms a glassy skin, which fuses with
the pottery and makes it impossible for
liquids to leak through. Another invention
branched off from pottery are the African
terracotta figures from the 5th century BCE.
Terracotta figures in the longest surviving
African sculpture tradition.
Sofia del Rio
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History/Period 5
Packet: B
Pyramids
A pyramid is a structure or monument, usually with a quadrilateral base, which rises to a
triangular point. Although pyramids are associated with Egypt
the first form of a pyramid originated in Mesopotamia, known
as a ziggurat. Pyramids are also found in Nubia, which is a
civilization south of Egypt. The Egyptian pyramid was a royal
tomb, was where the pharaoh would rise to the sun, and was also exclusively used during the Old
Kingdom. Although the Pyramid of Giza is the first thing that
comes to mind, there are over 70 pyramids in Egypt. The first
Egyptian Step pyramid was designed my Djoser of the Old
Kingdom, and was built solely out of Stone; while the first
pyramid was built during Snofru’s reign. The most famous pyramid was built during Kufu’s
reign, located on the Giza strip with three other pyramids,
and is the last of the
Seven Wonders of the
World. Most of the
tombs discovered had
been robbed, but when Tutankhamen’s tomb was found, his
mummy was still there. Tutankhamen’s is famous because his
tomb is the only royal tomb found by archeologists that had
not been robbed.
Jose Duran
Mr. Tavernia AP
Period 5
Pyramids
Pyramids are known today as one of the many mysteries of human
history. These massive structures were created in Egypt to represent the
power that pharaohs, or kings, held in Egyptian society. These architectural
wonders also represented how greatly Egyptians valued the afterlife and its
benefits. They constructed the pyramids as high as they did because they
believed that the higher the pyramid was, the closer to heaven that specific
pharaoh was. One of the most famous set of pyramids are the pyramids of
Giza, and the pharaoh responsible for it is called Khufu. During Khufu’s reign,
he decided that he wanted a pyramid for when he died that was bigger than
any other pyramid to represent his power over Egypt. He also decided to
create 3 smaller pyramids, each for one of his queens. The framework of a
pyramid consists of tomb at underneath the pyramid itself that stores the
pharaoh's body with all of the jewelry and gold he owns.
Sofia Godoy Mr. Tavernia Period 5 Packet B: Ancient Civilizations Development and Interaction of Cultures: Monumental Architecture A defining and prominent characteristic of all civilizations, monumental architecture encompasses the enormous structures of stone or earth that are built by man. Temples, palaces, irrigation systems, terracing projects, city walls, public buildings, and aqueducts are all versions of these colossal feats of construction. Offering valuable insight into the cultures of ancient civilizations, pyramids are one of the most common forms of monumental architecture. Archaeologists found that Mayan pyramids were often angled in accordance with astrological configurations, which were associated with religion. Meanwhile, Egyptian pyramids were built to house the body of the pharaoh, whose death was associated with the rising and setting of the sun. Another common example of monumental architecture is the megalith, a stone monument constructed during prehistoric times. Megaliths, such as Stonehenge and Gobekli Tepe, are thought to serve a religious and ceremonial purpose. In fact, they were usually decorated with spirals and zigzags, which are typical forms of abstract art during the Stone Age. Today, megaliths can be found in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Also found in Europe, on the Aegean island of Crete, is the Great Palace of Knossos. Built by the Minoan civilization, the palace houses shrines and a throne room. According to Greek myth, the palace is designed so that the exit is not found.
Polytheism
Polytheism is the worship of or belief in multiple ​deities usually assembled
into a ​pantheon of ​gods and goddesses, along with their own ​religions and ​rituals​.
In most religions which accept polytheism, the different gods and goddesses are
representations of forces of nature or ​ancestral principles​, and can be viewed either
as autonomous or as aspects or ​emanations of a creator ​God or ​transcendental
absolute principle​, which manifests ​immanently in nature. This religion is seen in
early civilizations such as in Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley and the
Americas. The deities of polytheism are often portrayed as anthropomorphic, with
each having a different purpose and abilities. Some polytheistic religions practiced
today are the traditional Chinese religion, Hinduism, and Japanese Shinto.
Sydni Josowitz
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History p5
Packet B
[Cultural]: Megaliths
Megaltih means ‘large stone’ and is used to describe large stone structures. These structures
consist of many interlocking pieces without the use of any adhesive substances. Most megaliths
were created in the Neolithic era of history. Such examples of Megaliths are Gobekli Tepe and
the Stonehenge. It is believed that these megaliths had cultural significance to the civilizations
that worked together to create them. Sometimes they served as boundary markings, or religious
structures.
Mark Kava
Tavernia
World History AP/Period 5
Packet B
Cultural- Iron Age
The iron age is a period in which iron became the primary metal used for tools
and weapons. The iron age occurred at different times in history throughout the world.
Iron was used as a primary metal for several reasons. First, iron is a single metal
rather than an alloy, which means people no longer needed to combine substances the
way they did with bronze (copper and tin). In addition to it being a single metal, iron was
easy to make because of the abundance of iron ore. Because there were so many rocks
capable of producing iron, there was a plentiful and reliable source. Finally, iron was
found to be tougher, stronger, and had sharper edges than bronze which made it a
better resource for weapons and tools. Iron helped with farming as some essential tools
for agriculture were created such as plows.
In addition to its advantages with strength, iron is also easy to manipulate and
produce what you want. It is fairly easy to shape iron for any tool such as weapons, or
farming tools.
Overall, iron was an extremely important resource. The iron age marked the time
period in which iron was the primary metal used by people instead of bronze. This
occurred at different times throughout the world, but is generally around 1300-900 BCE.
Thomas Lovegren
Mr.Tavernia
AP Human Geography
Packet B
AP theme: Labor Specialization
The specialization of labor is a social theme in which after a society receives a
massive surplus of food and it isn’t an issue anymore, many thanks to the switch to an
agrarian society, the idea is that many other tasks can be performed. To put it in simple
terms, if you aren't worried about starving you have make statues, or make clay
sculptures, or write down inventory, and so on and so forth. The image is the Egyptian
people performing a multitude of jobs.
Elizabeth Matei
Mr. Tavernia
World History AP/Period 5
Packet: B
​Development and Interaction of Cultures: Lucy
Lucy is the name given to a fossil that was discovered in the Afar Triangle region located
in Hadar, Ethiopia. Scientifically, Lucy is referred to as AL 288-1. Lucy’s skeletal remains
represent forty percent of a female hominid body. She was discovered by renowned
paleoanthropologist, Donald Johanson. Based on the many characteristics of Lucy’s fossils,
Lucy was classified as a female in the hominin species of Australopithecus Afarensis. For
example, her small stature and wide hip bones relay the fact that she was a biological female.
Also, her femur and pelvic structures show that she was one of the many hominids in the
Australopithecus Afarensis species who practiced bipedalism, a trait of hominids belonging to
this species. Although not confirmed, Lucy is proclaimed to have died from an attack by a
prehistoric, carnivorous predator. She is said to have lived about 3.18 million years ago in
eastern Africa. Lucy carried a small frame, weighing about sixty to sixty five pounds.
Interestingly, Lucy was named after the Beatles’s song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” after
this song was repeatedly played on the night of the day she was found. The true remains of Lucy
are securely stored in the ​Paleoanthropology Laboratories of the National Museum of Ethiopia in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. However, there are many replicas around the world. Lucy carries the
legacy of early Africa on her back and represents the life of early hominids who lived in her
time.
Alba Minxha
Mr. Travernia
AP World History Period 5
Packet B
Theme Two Science and Technology: Slash and Burn Agriculture
As Paleolithic humans
began to evolve, the
development of specific tools
allowed for them to survive and
flourish in new lands.
Specifically, the ability to use
fire as a tool was a turning point
in the cultural aspect of human
development. Fire was used as a
weapon, source of heat, and tool
to cook with. But the importance
of fire carried on from the Paleolithic Era, to the Neolithic Era as apart of slash and burn
agriculture.
Slash and burn agriculture consists of
clearing plots from the forest by cutting the
natural vegetation down, and allowing the cut
vegetation to dry, then burning the land.
Throughout the Neolithic era slash and burn
agriculture systems were used as a solution to
poverty, soil depletion problems, and managing
pests. The fertile soil left behind from slash and
burn agriculture helped allow for Neolithic
people to settle down and create agriculturally based civilizations.
Emily Namm
Michael Tavernia
AP World History/ Period 5
Packet B
[Cultural]: Oracle Bones
Oracle bones were used during the Shang
dynasty of early China, from about 16th century
BCE and 11th centuries BCE. Made from either the
shoulder blades of oxen or pieces of tortoise shell,
the Chinese believed that oracle bones could be
used to determine the future.
The royal family of the Shang dynasty
believed their ancestors had special knowledge of
the future, and the ability to change it. Oracle
bones could be used to reach them. A diviner
would inscribe to answers to the king’s question in the positive and in the negative.
He would heat the bone until it cracked, and based on the crack was able to tell
which statement was true.
The first oracle bone which was
recognized as such was in 1899. Antiquarian
Wang Yirong saw fragments of bone and
shell being sold in a healer’s shop in Peking,
being sold as “dragon bones” with the ability
to heal any ailment. Yirong recognized the
ancient script engraved on the bones, and
people were able to trace it back to its source
in the ground, on the former site of the capital of the Shang dynasty. The writing
on these oracle bones is the oldest known Chinese scripts, and many people are
working at deciphering all the known examples of oracle bones.
Alexander Rabin Mr. Tavernia AP World History P.5 Packet B Cultural Theme: Culture Culture is socially transmitted patterns of human action and expression. Culture consists of material and nonmaterial culture. Material culture consists of tangible items, such as special clothing, tools, houses, and goods. Nonmaterial culture revolves around the ideologies, beliefs, rituals, and religions of a people. Culture is passed on as customs through the generations, with ideas passed through oral traditions and guidelines. Culture is spread through people crossing paths in a violent or peaceful manner. Cultures often blend as nomadic people brought culture from all over the world together. Cultural clashes often are an impetus for war. Ethnocentrism and believing that one culture is inherently superior is a constant in history even to this day. Cultural differences distinguish groups and make them unique. Writing is another way culture is passed and is more reliable than oral tradition. This also adds an element of difficulty to outsiders who wanted to learn as language is a key part of culture. Scott Robins
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History Period 5
Packet B
Theme 2 (Culture): Pottery
During the neolithic time, pottery became a very useful technological
advancement. While the transition from hunter-gatherer to agriculture was occurring,
pottery was being found as a major asset to most civilizations. Due to the surplus of
food from the development of agriculture, pottery was used to store this food for other
days to come rather than leave it for waste. Storing the food became a big task because
if food production was slow for some reason, there was extra food available for the
people rather than to starve. Another use of the pottery was to cook foods so they can
be eaten. Cooking food with pottery increased nutrient intake and made it easier for the
body to digest the food resulting in the people staying healthy for a longer period of
time.
Sean Robins
Mr. Tavernia
AP World P.5
Packet: B
Theme 2 (Cultural): Scribes
Scribes were the upper-class members in the social structure. There
appointed job was to write down the history of the Pharaohs and kings of
ancient times. One example is The Royal scribe, and chief overseer of the
cattle of Amen-Re, King of Gods, Nebmare-night describes the life of
peasants in papyrus, Old Kingdom, c. 2000 BCE In the source document
titled “Egyptian Peasants.” He describes the life of the coerced labor force
in Ancient Egypt from his point of view. These scribes wrote in many
different forms in Egypt they wrote in hieroglyphics, Mesopotamia they
wrote in cuneiform, and other forms such as Linear B. Scribes have passed
down culture by documenting what ancestors said and what their beliefs
where. If it weren't for Scribes, we wouldn’t know anything about modern
history.
\http://mrtavernia.com/APWORLD/APPDFs/BEgyptian%20Peasants.pdf
http://www.crystalinks.com/egyptwriting.html
Alejandro Sosa
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History P.5
Packet: B
Portfolio Project
Cultural: Homer/​Iliad
Homer, probably the best known Greek epic poet of all time, thanks to his two epic
works,​ the ​Iliad and the ​O​ dyssey. Homer is quite the mythical figure, as it is truly
unknown if he really lived at all. It is estimated by Herodotus that homer lived no more
than 400 years before his own time. Pseudo-Herodotus estimates that he was born at
around 1102 BCE. There are speculations that Homer was born in Babylon or Ithaca or
East Asia. He was described by Plato to be the “first teacher” of tragedy, the “leader of
learning” and the one who “has taught Greece.” Homer’s works which are mostly
comprised of speeches, are the models of persuasive speaking and writing in the
ancient and medieval Greek world. His first famous epic​ poem, the ​Iliad, describes the
Trojan War; the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states. IT tells
of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and
the warrior Achilles. Even though the story only covers a few weeks in the final year of
​
the war, there are many allusions to Greek legends about the siege and earlier events.
The ​Iliad is paired with something of a sequel,
​
the ​Odyssey.
​
The ​Odyssey is the second
Greek epic poem attributed to homer. The poem focuses on the Greek hero Odysseus,
and his journey home to Ithaca after the fall of Troy. After the ten-year Trojan War, it
takes Odysseus another painful ten years to return to Ithaca. While Odysseus makes
his way home, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus must deal with a group of
unruly suitors. ​ Little known, the ​Odyssey as a lost
​
sequel, the ​Telenogy, which was not
written by Homer. Both of the epic poems use an archaic version of Ionic Greek and
Aeolic Greek to create the Homeric Greek that served as a basis of Epic Greek; which
became the language of epic poetry, which was typically in dactylic hexameter.
Kathryn Treacy
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History, Period 5
Packet B: Ancient Civilizations
Development and Interaction of Cultures:
Polytheism
Polytheism is a religion in which the followers of the religion believe in many gods.
Although our knowledge of prehistoric people is limited due to them living such a long
time ago, archeologists have found some evidence to show that certain groups believed in
more than one god. This evidence suggests that prehistoric people were guided by their
beliefs in spirits and sacred places. Their cave drawings and traces of their cultural objects
indicate that they believed in an afterlife, although they probably practiced polytheism.
Polytheism easily spread throughout the world due to the development and
interaction of cultures. As polytheism developed among prehistoric people, it was also
spreading by people interacting with each other through culture. In the early and late
years of history it is conspicuous that people can greatly influence others. This is how
polytheism spread region though region.
Saaketh Vedantam
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History/Period 5
Packet: B
Culture: Monumental Architecture
Monumental architecture was an important aspect of all civilizations. Examples of these
included temples, palaces, irrigation, terracing projects, city walls, public buildings, and
aqueducts. Architecture helped maximize the ability to produce agriculture, too, through the use
of irrigation systems in Eurasia and terracing, water collection, and drainage projects in the
Americas.
Early civilizations developed monumental architecture. For example, Sumerians built
ziggurats, Egyptians constructed pyramids, and many civilizations, such as the Chavín, built
temples. Ziggurats have no known specific function, but it was a major part of a temple
compound and consisted of a pyramid-shaped tower with ramps and stairs. Temples were
considered the abode of the gods, so they were decorated with everything to please the god and
help it live comfortably. Pyramids were triangular stone monuments that housed a pharaoh on his
journey to the afterlife. Some examples of these were the ones the pharaohs Khufu and Khafre
constructed at Giza. Also, the Indus Valley civilization showed uniformity in the planning and
construction of places. This implied that they needed easy communication and there was some
kind of interdependence among all Indus settlements. Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the
Olmecs, also built architecture. Urban centers in these civilization’s areas were dominated by
religious architecture such as pyramids, mounds, and raised platforms. These forms of buildings
were tied to specific religious groups. In the case of the Chavín, architectural forms suggested
that the civilization had political and economic control over its neighbors. Both Mesoamerican
civilizations used monumental architecture to connect elites to gods through religious buildings.
A Chavín temple.
A Sumerian ziggurat.
Daniela Velez Mr. Tavernia AP World History/ 5 Packet: B Cultural: Iron Age If you go into your kitchen, you will probably find at least twenty things that contain iron. Thanks to the people in the Middle East and Southeastern Europe in about 1200 BCE and China in about 600 BCE, many tools around us today are made out of the strong element of iron. The period of time in which these people adopted iron as the dominant toolmaking material is called the Iron Age. The earliest known iron artifact is a collection of small iron beads found in burials in Northern Egypt. Even though meteoric iron, an iron­nickel alloy, was used thousands of years before the Iron Age, the Iron Age did not officially begin until the start of large­scale iron production. Iron was found to be cheaper, stronger, and lighter than bronze and therefore ended the Bronze Age in around 1200 BCE. During the Iron Age, the strongest and most effective weapons were made from steel, an alloy of iron with carbon. However, there were not many steelmaking methods available during these times, so alloys that were easier to fabricate, such as wrought iron, were often used. Isabella Whiting
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History P5
Packet B
Theme 2: Culture
Of the five main themes of AP World Geography, the development and interaction of
cultures is one of them; it mainly focuses on religion, ideologies, technology, and art and how
these elements combine to form different cultures and how these different cultures then interact
with each other. In early civilizations such as the Egyptian civilization, scribes were considered
influential members of society. Scribes were trained professionals who applied their reading and
writing skills to tasks of administrations, being a scribe was a position that took lots of work and
dedication to reach since it required lengthy training to be able to read and write. Scribes in
Egypt for example had to dedicate themselves to learning how to write and read hieroglyphics.
Scribes were responsible for the written knowledge we have from these times and help us in
modern time figure out what was
occurring during the development
of
these early cultures.
Kevin Yeung
Mr. Tavernia
AP World History Period 5
Packet B
Theme 2 – Culture: Osiris, Isis, Horus
Like any other culture in ancient times, the world was a huge mystery with an unknown
beginning and hidden secrets. Many civilizations, including the Egyptians hoped to create an
accurate explanation of how humans came to be. Therefore, beliefs about special Egyptian gods
and goddesses formed, and each deity represented a certain aspect or object found in their
surroundings. These gods were in control of the element of nature that they represented and they
were prayed to for specific purposes relating to the element that the god controls. Even the ruler
of Egypt, or the pharaoh, was based on religion. The pharaoh was
believed to be descended directly from the gods and helped act as a link
between his people and the great gods. The gods themselves took on an
appearance of a creature that looked like a mixture of a human and
some species of animal. Each of them also has his or her own story
about his or her formation. Some of the most important gods were
Osiris, Isis and Horus.
Osiris, the god of earth and vegetation, was depicted as a
mummy holding the crook and flail of kinship. Besides being the great god of the dead as well,
Osiris was also the god who taught the people the art of agriculture and what to eat during his
rule as the first mythological king of Egypt. One particular myth described Osiris as being
murdered by his own brother, Seth, and being reincarnated by Isis. He then became the ruler of
the underworld underground. In relation to the pharaoh of Egypt, the pharaoh would become the
new Osiris when he dies, passing on the position to his son.
Isis, having the epithet of the giver of life, was described as a woman wearing a vulture
head-dress and a solar disk. As the wife of Osiris, Isis assisted her husband in many ways, like
using her magic to bring Osiris back to life. Even though she was a very loyal and trustworthy
wife, Isis also represented the ideal mother. She gave birth to Horus, who would become the
main god of Egypt. Throughout the entire history of Egypt, Isis was always regarded as someone
who gave love and motherly protection to every creature. Most importantly, she was also said to
have made the first mummy, starting the mummification of pharaohs in the past.
Horus, depicted as a man with the head of a falcon, was the god of the sky and protected
the pharaohs from danger. In time, he would also become associated as the god of the sun as well.
As a child of Osiris and Isis, he would become one of the most important gods of Egypt, since he
was always the embodiment of the current pharaoh on the throne. Kings would eventually adopt
Horus’s name as their own. These gods always played an important role in Egyptian life and still
continue to do so today.