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INTERACTIONS AMONG BRONZE AGE
CIVILIZATIONS:
EARLY RELIGIONS AND TRADE
The Vedic (Hindu) Religion in India, Hebrew Monotheism,
and Persian Zoroastrianism
ORIGINS OF HINDUISM
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Aryan migrations into the Indus Valley caused a mixture
of ideas to form the basis of Hinduism
The Vedas (1500-600 B.C.E) = a holy book compiled by
the Brahmins (priests), contained basic ideas of the
impersonal gods of early Hinduism
caste system formed out of the ideas in the Vedas
(written using Sanskrit language)
Dissatisfaction with impersonal Brahmin practices led to
the Upanishads (800-400 B.C.E), a holy book showing a
more personal relationship with the gods
Hinduism eventually was challenged and reformed by
the rise of Buddhism
Aryan Migration
 pastoral  depended on their cattle.
 warriors  horse-drawn chariots.
Varna System
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
Vaishyas
Shudras
Those with no caste: Untouchables
The Caste
System Justified
SOCIAL CLASSES=
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
 mouth
 arms
Vaishyas
 legs
 feet
Of Purusha, a god
Shudras
HINDU BELIEFS
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Brahman
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Ultimate goal
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basically, God. Everyone
and everything (including
all the other gods) is a
manifestation (a part) of
Brahman.
Union with Brahman by
achieving moksha
(liberation) through
samsara (reincarnation)
Caste System
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Social mobility in the NEXT
LIFE determined by good
karma achieved by fulfilling
ones dharma (duties)
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Bhakti (worship) movement
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Came about as a reaction
against Brahmin rituals that
weren’t very personal
Adoration and personal
worship of gods
Identification of individuals
with a particular deity
VISHNU AND SHIVA
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Protector and preserver
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Destroyer
ZOROASTRIANISM
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Official religion of the
Persian Empire
Founded by Zoroaster
(600s BCE)
Beliefs
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Monotheistic (Ahura
Mazda)
Belief in Heaven and Hell
Judgment Day
Good (God) and Evil
(Satan), Savior (Messiah)
Assimilated into other
monotheistic faiths
JUDAISM
 Hebrews in the Middle
East
 Despite conquests by
Assyria and Babylonian
empires, retained
culture and traditions
 Duteronomic Code –
613 laws in the Old
Testament to keep Jews
separate from other
cultures and prevent
assimilation
JUDAISM
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Yahweh- God
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Powerful and jealous
Demanded loyalty
People could
communicate with
God
God was viewed to be
actively involved in
human affairs
In return for devotion
to Yahweh, became
his “chosen people”
Basis for Christianity
and Islam