Ancient Near Eastern Art
Read Chapter 3.
Research religion and mythology in Ancient Near East. Continue your time machine story, setting the dial for this category. Please include your research, plus description of one work of art or architecture from Chapter 3. Include links from sites you used in research. Don't forget to put your name on your entry.
Extra credit for the first five posts.. you may present a work of art illustrating you story for extra credit as well.
Reminder, you will have a quiz next week so don't forget to review chapters 1-3.
posted by Rachel Hoffman at
8:14 AM
27 Comments:
I discuvered for some strange eason I can speak Jackal. After speaking with anubis I find out that he was just sick of being in that place and wanted to pary. After building a time watch, I take Anubis back with me to Ancient Near East. We found out that there religion was mostly polytheistic, with some early examples of emerging Henotheism (Akhenaton, early Judaism). And that they also were deeply influenced by their spiritual beliefs, which generally did not distinguish between heaven and Earth. They believed that divine action influenced all mundane matters, and also believed in divination (ability to predict the future). Omens were often inscribed in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as were records of major events.
"Ugh you stupid piece of crap why don't you work!" I hit the dash of my time machine and scowl as it doesn't do anything different. Sighing, I look to the necklace I had accidentally stolen from Egypt and reach down to grab it. As I do I feel my elbow hit a lever. Hearing a confirmation noise I grimace, "just perfect." Looking at the dial with my peripheral vision
I groan seeing I wasn't headed home just yet.
As I emerge from the time continuum I notice that it's very foggy. Squinting to try and see something I realize I am falling at an angle. Seeing a stone column in front of me, I brace myself. "Seriously is medieval times such a hard place to target?" Hitting the column my machine hits the ground with an Earth shuddering thud. Glancing around at my surroundings I see something like a stone temple beside me with a large courtyard. My gaze wanders to the sculptures intermixed within the scenery made of jewels and wood. My machine intercom fizzles to life spouting something about Babylonian religion believing in anthro gods and goddesses.
As I stare at the pieces I notice they seem to be set in a certain order. My eyes widen as I realize it looked to be set in a battle scene. A large sea serpent or dragon is against a mess load of other beings. I carefully step up to the structure and recall a myth of a goddess named Tiamat, she had wanted to destroy the other gods. This scene must be depicting the battle when Marduk finally challenged and defeated her. Shaking my head, it amazed me how wood could be crafted to make the myths come to life. Remembering I still had a place in mind I wanted to visit I headed back to my time machine. It struck me as odd since I didn't see any people. I take another look at the pieces of sculpture and architecture noting that the jewels were missing and the temple seemed to be on the verge of crumbling. "Guess that's my cue to get outta here." As I sat in my chair again I smile, "that was actually a learning experience. Ok, time to go."
Amber Fowkes
http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/images2/marduk_tiamat3.gif
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/gods/explore/tiamat.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiamat
The Old Kingdom of Egyptian times was way too harsh for me. This week my time machine travels are taking me back in time around 3500 b.c.e. to a place known as Mesopotamia, I thought this would be a nice break from the desert area because Mesopotamia translates to, the country between two rivers. I imagined a lush fertile land because I have heard that the people who live in this area have a very intense irrigation system. I arrived in a Sumerian city-state where I saw exactly what I was expecting. There were plenty of crops and vegetation, beautiful colors on the clothes made from local plants and stones, and many hard workers in the distance still building temple like structures for what I assumed were their Gods. I decided to investigate the area. As I walked through the city, I noticed that there were many people bowing and chanting in this weird language. But I kept hearing one word in particular that I noticed: Abu. I decided that I would like to find out more about this ‘Abu’ I kept hearing of. I found a friendly woman that I could somewhat communicate with through pictures known as cuneiform. I asked questions by writing in cuneiform on the ground. First I asked her about the crops and drew a quick picture of the wheat-like food they were growing nearby. She drew symbols back that told me all about Abu and how the people believed that if they did not pray to him on a regular basis she and the others feared he would not talk to the higher God, and their crops and vegetation would be gone and they would surely die from lack of food and nutrition. She went on about how her job in worshiping her king was to carve statues. She showed me some of the statues she had already completed. I noticed one similar feature: they had very large eyes. I inquired about this and she explained that this meant a sense of awe. I felt a real bond with this woman from the market place but I also knew my time was running out. I quickly told her goodbye and she hugged me and told me that she enjoyed my company. She grabbed a necklace that she had made off of a nearby shelf and put it around my neck. She said that she had made it from a beautiful stone called lapis lazuli. I squeezed her tight and ran off to my time machine. I will not forget this time machine adventure. Perhaps I will return here again someday to see my new found friend.
Meryl Stewart
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopotamia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform_script
The next trip in my time machine brought me back to the Late Bronze age around 1550 B.C. in the Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and Syria), subregion of the Ancient Near East. Mesopotamia included Sumer, Assyria, and Akkad. Here they practiced a polytheistic religion, with anthropomorphic gods or goddesses representing forces in the world, very similar to that of later Greek mythology.
I found what looked like part of a statue. It was the head of a king. It had heavy-lidded eyes,full lips,large ears and a prominent but unexaggerated nose.The head was made of bronze, it was very heavy. I wonder what happened to the rest of the statue...
Nikki Swanson
http://www.metmuseum.org/TOAH/ho/02/wai/hob_47.100.80.htm
The art piece that I am choosing to describe out of Chapter 3 is the "Ishtar Gate". The well known King Nebuchadnezzar II restored Babylon making it quite beautiful, and one of the great cities. The Ishtar Gate was made of glazed bricks with images of animals, both real and imaginary. One of these pictures was Istars sacred lion, glazed in yellow, brown and red, with a cobalt blue background. After styudying about this gate, I was off to the next one. I jumped into my time machine and set it for 1400 BCE. The next thing I knew, I was walking out of the time machine and approaching some sort of gate. As I got closer, I noticed 2 lions made of limestone on both sides of the gate. These lions were about 7ft in height. The wall that surrounded the city, was there for the protection. I then realized that I was in the city of Hittites, near BoghazKoy, Turkey. In the distance I could hear a lot of fighting and stomping on the ground. The rumble on the ground seemed as if the mass of people were getting closer. I feared what would happen next, so I go back in my time machine and headed back to Tampa, 2007.
The feeling of my stomach squishing itself together was enormous. Rolling over whatever had been in my stomach was expelled in a vigorous motion on the grass. After finishing spitting the taste of acid from my mouth I looked around. The area was jungle like with the vegetation all around. Sounds of cheering came from a near by path. Running to see the commotion I stumbled on roots of trees al the way there. A clearing was ahead. It was filled with people at the bottom of a great stair case. Scanning what was going on I saw they were bowing before a man with a great beard. He stood on the stairs slowly making his way down, and the people were bowing before him while others cheered in happiness. This must not have been an ordinary man. As I got closer Another figure was approaching him. The figure was leaving a river of water behind him as he walked. It seemed to flow strait from him.
Trying to contain my curiosity I get closer to the watery figure. The crowd half looking at me and half at these two figures. Guards rushed up behind me and pushed me to the ground. Holding me there ready to strike at the flick of a hand from the figure. He approached me looking at me intensely.
“You are not of this time young one.” Staring into his eyes that seemed to shift colors of blue. They mesmerized me as the ocean might as I sat by one. He smiled as his hand extended towards me, and the guards stepped back and kneeled down.
“N, no I am not. I have been thrown from one land to another and have found myself in yours on this adventure.”
“You look tired; come I will have servants wash and cloth you.”
“Who are you? What is this land?”
“I am Ea, and this,” he spread his hands to show all the land, “this is my world. I have brought it forth from the nothingness.”
“Ea, that name it…” shocked at what I had just realized I looked again at this figure leading me up the stairs. This was a Near Eastern God, and the one in front of him must be Elil.
(http://www.humboldt.edu/~teg1/syllabus/406/students/fall97/5/rene.html)
As I climbed the stares to the top the two Gods escorted me. WE went into the great building to a room with great paintings on the walls, torches that light the room, and servants all over. The water god waved his had and the servants fluttered around gathering water, cloths and other things. They sat me down and treated my wounds from past adventures. Once done the servants directed me towards another room with steam billowing out from it. As I entered a large bath was filled. The servants looked at me puzzled, and scared. I came to realize that they did not know how to take my cloths off so I might bath. Laughing I took them off and got in. Their faces filled with relief went about with other things while one stayed behind to bath me. I motioned for the soaps so I might wash myself. He was startled as I went about bathing myself; I smiled and motioned him away.
After bathing servants were ready with cloths I had never seen before. Beautify woven cloths that in my time would never have been able to afford. Colors of royalty with gold lining. Ea came in and looked me over.
“You have bathed?”
“Yes, thank you lord.” I bowed my head in respect. He laughed at the gesture.
“those are for my people of my time. Yours is far into the future and it is time you traveled there.” I nodded not knowing what he might do. Was he saying he would send me home? Before I could ask I passed out seeing only his smile and his watery figure.
I press the "Go" button and cross my fingers. The Time Machine has not failed me yet, but I still feel that I need to practice this superstition for any extra luck I can get. I have added a new element to my time machine. It should be able to track any being that I have set into the search bar. I was inspired by "Google" and the way it was able to find anything I wished to see in a matter of seconds.
With my fingers crossed, I stepped through the portal of my Time Machine. My body started to twitch as I passed through and I began to panic. My body was in an extreme amount of pain and I tried to scream but I could only inhale. Something was crushing me inward. Then, I could hear a sweet humming...and I smelled something smooth like honey and soft as rose petals. She came into focus.
She was walking towards a piece of art. As she walked it was almost like watching her under water. Everything moved slowly and seemed to float. She was the most beautiful and perfect-looking woman I had ever seen. And why not? If God created all things beautiful, who is to say that demons are not also beautiful? I wrote down every detail in my notebook. She reached the artwork on the wall. It was a relief of her image with two owls on either side or two large cats under her. As I watched her she was not able to hold one form of herself for longer than a few minutes. She changed from a half bird woman to a demon and back to a beautiful woman again and again. She turned to into a demon and pulled out something from her pocket and started to try to maim the face.
"Stupid humans!" she said, "This is not nearly as beautiful as I!" Her voice was that of three different personalities and made an eerie sound when she spoke. She tried to cut at the face with the object, but to no use. She became angry and threw the thing at the relief as hard as she could and chipped off the instrument in the artwork's right hand. She broke into laughter and she disappeared and so did I.
I reappeared in my workshop. I could not figure out why I ended up here at first so I did some research.
The time machine brought me back because I did not create it to go in any other world. Lilith has no home and wanders between earth and hell. And her humming could either be her trying to lure some man to his death or a mockery of mothers singing lullabies to their babies. Along with ambulates a lullaby was originally used to ward off Lilith from stealing the sleeping baby. The first part "Lulla" was once similar to the word Lilith and the word "by" meant for her to stay away or leave.
Kristin Featherman
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Topics/Lilith/overview.html
http://northstargallery.com/mermaids/lilith01web.jpg
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://northstargallery.com/mermaids/lilith01web.jpg&imgrefurl=http://northstargallery.com/mermaids/MermaidHistory2.htm&h=500&w=335&sz=13&hl=en&start=21&tbnid=FV4_AWOrkfTbAM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlilith%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den
History Channel, "Mysteries of the Garden of Eden."
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After my adventure in Egypt I knew that I should probably not return to the past. I decided to be prepared for me next trip back in time. I was going to ancient Mesopotamia this time. I thought I would observe their way of life. I first researched about the peoples of those times. I was curious to see how their "priest-god" would treat them. I dressed as how I learned that they had dressed. I took one last look in the mirror and thought "hmm, It's the latest trend in ancient Mesopotamia." I figured that I should go to sometime before 4000 b.c. I hit the button on my key for the doors to open and there was the familiar tweet sound that alarms make. The doors begin to whir once again. I looked around and noticed my vacuum had missed some of the sand which had gotten in from Egypt. I rapidly punched in 3500. I wish I'd saved up and gotten a time machine where I could just speak my destination instead. I made a mental note to get something scented at Walmart since the "new car odor" was faint now. I started the engine and I could feel the cold setting in. I'm getting used to it now. I opened my eyes and could only see light from the dials in the machine. I waited for the doors to open. I was not greeted by people waiting to worship me this time. the machine had landed in a secluded spot. This would offer me a chance to blend in with the locals. I step out and notice what seemed to be a large building, it looks like a good walk to get there. By the time I had arrived at the building I was sweating from the afternoon sun. There was a couple nearby, the man pointed at me and said something to his wife, she quickly went inside. She brought water in what looked like an ancient ceramic bottle. With it she brought a small statue and placed it before me. I knew it symbolized her wishing the gods to help me recover. Once I was done drinking I looked about in amazement at the construction. This was the temple, the White Temple. Others began gathering there they gave me strange looks. I guess they know a stranger when they see one. I heard some of the women whispering "did you see what he's wearing?" another woman replied "Yeah, thats like so totally last season." A man came out and they all looked to him. He began to addressed the crowd. "the gods are pleased with your work, The gods demand a place for the high Priest-god and his people to swim, and also they want a place to play their sacred game of poker on Saturday nights, also they demand a fire sacrifice of delicious beasts tonight." I thought of what what the "gods" wanted and made sense of it, a pool, a place for poker, and a barbecue. I stayed for the barbecue. I didn't know what the meat was but it was good, I did notice that some sheep were missing. I was granted use of the priest-god's camel and rode it back to the ship. It was very dark now. I got into the ship, and waiting for everything to start up. I was fumbling and then I pressed something. Suddenly the machine came to life. I tried to read the dial but the cold and darkness were already setting in....
http://www.greatcommission.com/newyork/MesopotamianUr01.jpg
http://encarta.msn.com/media_461524344_761563062_-1_
I stepped out of my time machine into an area where farmes have settled. I run into a man who is using a wooden plow to cultivate the soil. He tells me about the crops he is preparing to plant: barley, onions and turnips. We began conversation and he feeds me some insight on his culture. He divulges me with story of a god named Pazuzu. Pazuzu is said to be a collection of human and animal parts with the body of a man, head of a lion or dog, eagle-like taloned feet, two pairs of wings, a scorpion tail and serpentine penis. He is the god of southwest wind and is known for causing droughts and famine during dry season and locusts during the rainy season. The farmer told me that although his appearance and wrath were devasting to his crops, Pazuzu repelled other evil spirits and protected humans from plagues and other tribulations. Pazuzu was most commonly called upon to ward off his rival, Lamashtu, a female demon goddess who troubled women through childbirth. She was known to kidnapp and slay children and unborns, cause harm to the mothers, disturb sleep, and bring nightmares along with a trail of other negative effects. I thanked the man for his time and left.
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My last trip to Egypt was so exciting that I decided that after doing some minor changes to my time machine, I would again take another trip. After making a few adjustments to the machine, now I could time travel for as long as I wished, without any time limits, inconveniences or chances of being electrocuted by the machine. This time I decided to go to the Ancient Near East, and visit Mesopotamia 3000 BC. I set the location, and time on the new LCD screen on my time machine, and after hitting the “go” button I saw a bright white light that almost blinded me, making me cover my eyes with my hands. After a second, I felt a warm breeze, I opened my eyes, and I saw a great valley covered in vegetation, I kneeled, and felt the soft, green grass that covered the entire ground, while in the distance, I saw farm-like fields, and people collecting vegetables from the ground. It’s no wonder that this land used to be so fertile; it was in the middle of two rivers. Beyond the fields I saw a Village that began from the bottom of the hills to the very high tops, where larger buildings stood. I began to walk through the fields into the village to get a closer look at the buildings. Unlike Egypt, this place seemed to be more tranquil, as people seemed to work together in harmony. This gave me the confidence and security to get closer to the village and have a look around. As I began to get closer I could see small buildings that appeared to be houses made from mud bricks and wood. On the top of the hill I saw a great standing building made from white stones and bricks. The sides of this great building were sloped. I began to climb the stairs of this great building that lead me to a wide open platform On the far end of the platform stood a huge statue that seemed to be a god. Below it, there were fruits, vegetables and dead animals as an offering to this god. As I got closer I noticed a group of men arriving, when they saw me they started shouting at me in a language that I did not understand. I knew then that this was a sacred place and that I wasn’t allowed there. I rushed down the stairs and out of the temple. As I left the temple I suddenly realized that this was the “White Temple”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Near_Eastern#Religions
http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHneareast.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopotamia#Religion
After the Assyrian empire fell in 612 BC, the city of Babylon witnessed one final brief flowering between 612 and 539 BC, when it was conquered by the Persians.
The most famous Neo-Babylonia ruler was Nebuchadnezzar II who was a strong commander. He was responsible for driving the Egyptians from Palestine, conquering Jerusalem in 586BC (see Jeremiah 52: 12-13) and then exiling many Jews to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar’s great palace, with its famous Hanging Gardens.
The hanging gardens are one of the seven wonders of the world. Each terrace rises up from the last like the syrinx, the pipes of pan, which are made of several tubes of unequal length. This gives the appearance of a theater. It was flanked by perfectly constructed walls twenty-five feet thick. The galleries were roofed with stone balconies. Above these there was the first of a bed of reeds with a great quantity of bitumen, then a double layer of baked bricks set in gypsum, then over that a covering of lead so that moisture from the soil heaped above it would not seep through. The earth was deep enough to contain the roots of the many varieties of trees which fascinated the beholder with their great size and their ugliness. There was also a passage which had pipes leading up to the highest level and machinery for raising water through which great quantities of water were drawn from the river, with none of the process being visible from the outside.
Kara Mitchell
http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/janson5/chapter3/delux-content.html
wikipedia.com
"And then there were the Hanging Gardens. Paracleisos going up to the top is like climbing a mountain. Each terrace rises up from the last like the syrinx, the pipes of pan, which are made of several tubes of unequal length. This gives the appearance of a theater. It was flanked by perfectly constructed walls twenty-five feet thick. The galleries were roofed with stone balconies. Above these there was the first of a bed of reeds with a great quantity of bitumen, then a double layer of baked bricks set in gypsum, then over that a covering of lead so that moisture from the soil heaped above it would not seep through. The earth was deep enough to contain the roots of the many varieties of trees which fascinated the beholder with their great size and their ugliness. There was also a passage which had pipes leading up to the highest level and machinery for raising water through which great quantities of water were drawn from the river, with none of the process being visible from the outside."[4]
Cristina Figueroa
I zap into another location only this time it isn’t so dark. Being that I wasn’t back to my original location, home, I could only wonder where I was. I stick the remote back into my pocket and start to analyze my surroundings. Once again I am in a building of importance; high ceilings, huge stone columns and stone walls. I see that there are beautiful works of mosaic art on the walls; they were decorated in beautiful colors of blue, red, gold and green. I keep walking and I start to hear chanting of some sort. I keep walking and looking around in awe again of the capability that these people of this period have in designing and constructing these mass structures. As I approach a sitting area I realize that I can’t be in Ancient Egypt anymore, there are no Hieroglyphics on the walls. I approach a table and see several tablets on a table. I sit down in the chair, which surprisingly is pretty comfortable, to take a look at the tablets. The chair is decorated in beautiful gold leafing and with jewels so beautiful that even with the faintest amount of light still sparkle and shine like the brightest star. I look at the tablet only to find a weird style of text, it was a wedge shaped type of writing, one that I have seen before but couldn’t place it. After a few minutes I had a feeling it was cuneiform.
I got up from the chair because I still heard the chanting. As I got closer I head a cry of some sort. It almost sounded like an animal but I couldn’t tell. It kept crying, it was a really high pitched cry, like a cry for help or fear. I got as close as I could without anyone seeing me. And there stood a congregation of people chanting. In front of them was an altar of some sort and to the left I saw a goat. The goat was crying out really loud. This was what I was hearing a few moments ago. Then it hit me, they were going to sacrifice the goat. They kept chanting their praises and from the chant I got that they were chanting to their God Abu. Abu is the God of vegetation. A man dressed in white started to lead the goat towards the altar. I was beginning to feel a little queasy. The goat was pulling away trying to get away. The poor helpless animal was crying for it he knew that his doom was near. Once the animal was on the altar, a man with the head dressing of a jackal chanted something really loud causing the on looking crown to get silent. The hairs on my neck were standing up and my stomach was in knots. I didn’t know if I could handle watching this. I started to reach in my pocket for my remote for my time machine when the jackal started to pierce the throat of the goat. The cry from the goat was sound intense that I almost felt the pain that the goat was feeling. It’s crimson colored blood started to trickle down the alter and onto the floor. The crowd was delighted with their sacrifice and started to chant their praises again. I felt so sick that I pushed the button on my remote in fear that I was going to vomit.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/middle_east/sumer_religion.html
http://gallery.sjsu.edu/sacrifice/sumerians.html
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/exhibits/images/cuneiform-intro.jpg&imgrefurl=http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/exhibits/cuneiformmain.htm&h=354&w=300&sz=53&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=k_3luBu_X3szgM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuneiform%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX
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I am a bit nervous for this trip as I fumble with my remote and the destination. Tonight I am going to the Ziggurat of King Urnammu, Ur in Iraq. The time is before 2100b.c and I am a bit eager to discover the purpose of these enormous structures. Archeologists are still uncertain of their purpose but they are believed to be made for some sort of religious activities. As I stand up from my thrust through time I see the tall structure in the thick dusty air. Thousands of people walk the steps to the top with camels, oxen, and all sorts of woven baskets with bread and other things. The women are covered completely as if hiding from the sand. Its amazing knowing what I do here, Ur was an ancient Babylonian city, said to be the birthplace of Prophet Abraham. It would be an amazing sight if I could catch a glimpse of him!
As I began my climb up the long set of steps, up one side I noticed what was said about the city was true, seeing it from the Ziggurat. It was said that the city eventually became the richest city in Mesopotamia and it looked very large from my view. I crowded through animals and people, climbing higher in hopes to reach the top. No one seemed to be climbing up the center stair case, perhaps it was meant for royalty. But then there were older men walking in groups dressed in white. They seemed to be priests.
It was said that the Ziggurat at Ur was built as a tribute to the God “Sin.” the building was called “ Etemennigur,” which meant “a house whose foundation creates terror.” It made me more nerous thinking those words as I reached the last few steps. I looked back seeing all around the city. I examined the bricks and walls looking for features and details that are not on it at the dig site. The mud bricks seemed to be made out of mud and reed, it is said that the core of the Ziggurat is constructed using mud bricks which were covered with baked bricks. I pressed my fingers through the cracks and looked at the people while trying not to be noticed. I stood out with my bright clothing and strange appearance. Shoot, the guards are looking at me… I guess I better run or hide. Oh, no they are approaching me.. I darted down the steps fiddling with the buttons. One of the most interesting things I noticed about the structure was the holes in the sides, called weeper holes. Small gaps that were left between the bricks they were made to allow evaporation of water from the core of the structure. The weeper holes were lined with baked bricks. A vertical drain was built on either side of the Ziggurat to carry away rainwater. The guards are growing closer they seem to be well in shape. As I vanished I thought to myself, I guess I’ll know next time to dress less noticeable so I can stay long enough to learn the purpose of the Ziggurat.
http://www.islamonline.net/english/In_Depth/Iraq_Aftermath/2003/07/article_02.shtml
http://daphne.palomar.edu/mhudelson/WorksofArt/03AncNE/2420.html
http://home.psu.ac.th/~punya.t/Meso%20en/Ziggurat.html
... As I exited the, portal and hoped that I would emerge back home, I looked around to see nothing but sand once again. Was I still in Egypt? As I began walking through the desert I was beginning to think that I was going to die lost in time from dehydration. When I fell to the ground I felt the hot sand sering my face but I didn't have the energy to go on. Once I opened my eyes I saw a gorgeous woman standing over me with a wet cloth in her hands. I rested for a few days. Once I got my strength back I ventured out in the city. I saw may men making bricks from mud and fire. As I ventured further into the city I noticed a large structure being built. I as the woman that had nursed me back to health what it was and she replied, " it is a Ziggurat for Marduk". I asked her what a Ziggurat was and she explained that is was a house which there god can live in to be close to his people. Marduk or BEL as he was called (meaning Lord) was the king of all gods. He was the god that brought order to the universe and created man kind. I began to assist in the construction of the monument. After months of living among the people and growing closer and closer to Tiamat( the woman who had nursed me back to health ) I began to enjoy life and even began to make the offerings to the godds as we where constructing the Ziggurat. Only the most honest and pure hearted of men could work on the building so it was a great honor to be allowed to help. I later found out that Tiamat was named for the Queen and mother of the godds. Her body was used to create the heavens and the earth after Marduk killed her.
It had seemed as if the future was a dream and that I was at home here in this ancient time. I was even falling in love with Tiamat. On the day I was going to ask her hand in marriage I started the day off like any other day. I woke up and prayed to Marduk to give me the strength that I needed for the day. I then joined up with the other men in the village and continued the work on the Ziggurat, which was nearing completion. After paying my tribute to Marduk, I proceeded home to ask Tiamat to be my wife when right in front of me the portal opened and I was sucked in. I was finally happy and it was all being stripped away. I started wondering what would happen to Tiamat and began to tear up. would I ever see my love again? Where was I going to end up this time?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_mythology
http://lexicorient.com/e.o/marduk.htm
http://www.livius.org/es-ez/esagila/esagila.html
http://lexicorient.com/e.o/ziggurat.htm
I could hear chanting and smell fire as the night slowly came into focus. The earth beneath my feet was dry and the air around me wasn't much better. There were people everywhere holding torches and in a small pen nearby were a few nervous looking animals. As I came closer I saw the chanting people surrounding a makeshift table of stone with a knife resting in the center. After a few minutes passed, one man walked to the pen of animals and tried to catch any of the scurrying creatures and eventually grabbed hold of a large goat. He brought it to the table and tied its legs while it bleated with wide eyes helplessly to anyone who would listen. The man grabbed the knife and raised it above his head with his chin towards the sky and eyes closed. The chanting became louder and I finally understood. I looked at the dry dusty ground and listened as they chanted to Ishkur, the god of storms. I looked up to see the knife still raised but bloodied. I then realized the goats eyes were staring lifelessly and I saw the long line of red across his throat.
A few moments passed then in the distance I heard thunder. The men stopped chanting and everyone stood still and listend. I could hear something far off lightly patting on the ground and it seemed to be charging towards us. Not knowing what was going on I looked to the man with his arm still raised as he looked off behind me and a smile slowly stretched across his face. When I turned again I could see a wall of rain racing at us while the scene behind me erupted into laughter and cheers. The thirsty ground soaked up the water and people began singing their thanks to Ishkur for saving them from this drought. Smiling at their achievement, I found my way to my time machine so I could prepare for my next adventure to the past.
I grabbed the side of the old dusty time machine I boarded up some years ago. I have wanted throw it out for a while, but never got around to it. This was that time. Managing to pull the clunky thing away from the wall, I think I tripped some wire or something because the thing managed to make sounds. Maybe this thing still works? Ripping the boards down I jumped inside just in time to end up in some unknown place again. With a now familiar nauseous feeling welling in my stomach, I glanced around. I quickly realized I was face to face with a funny looking creature that resembled a dog or wolf of some sort. It growled and I could feel its hot breath on my cheeks. Terrified I picked up the closest rock and pelted it into the creatures face. The thing ran off into the brush behind him. Still a bit stunned I walked over and picked up the rock I had thrown at him. It seemed to be a tablet of some sort that I broke into a lot of pieces. I saw the time slot open and I jumped into it with the few pieces in my hands. When arriving at my basement floor I was excited to research the pieces and find out where I had traveled to. It turned out to be part of an artifact called Map of the World, from Babylonia from around 700-500 BC. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. If this time machine could take me that far back, I wonder where I’m headed next time. To be continued. Christine Eubank http://xfacts.com/iraq2003/5.html
As an avid believer in the supremacy of law, I had decided to take a trip and witness the creation of The Code of Hammurabi. The code is regarded as one of the earliest written forms of law. My time machine took to 1760 BC, and city-state of Babylon, where Hammurabi was a ruler. I was witnessing the placement of the code in a public space. The lamguage that the code was written in was babylonian daily language Akkadian. Hammurabi wanted literate people to be able to read these 284 laws and abide by them. Hammurabi claimed, and the large inscribed stele showed, that these laws were given to him by the God Shamash. My time was up and i had to return back to present. After my travel, i read couple of the laws, the most recent translation. Suprisingly these laws seem very fair, and in some cases really funny. Here is one of them:
If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser.
Haris
by Bryan Velazquez
Years have passed since I arrived in this forest. I was lucky that the explosion off my time machine did not kill me. I should have checked it before I used it again. Anyways the animals nursed me back to health and I've been living with them since. Unfortunately the humans did not like the idea off me protecting the animals and plotted to separate me from them. Into the forest they sent a beautiful harlot named Shamhat. She spend six nights with me and as I grew closer to her the animals grew further apart from me. Eventually I was thrown out of the forest by the animals and began to live in society with Shamhat. Days passed and I began to grow bored of this life. Shamhat told me of great challenge, a fight with the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh. Without hesitation I ran to his palace and challenged the great King. For three days we fought none stop and we were beginning to get tired.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/
d109/BryanVelazquez1987/
GilgameshvsEnkidu.jpg
I dropped my guard for a second and he took advantage. He picked me up and slammed me into the ground. At that point, we both started laughing and praising one another talking about how good of a fight it was. The next day he came to my house and asked me for help. He said he was going on an adventure and he wanted me to accompany him. As we headed to the Cedar Forest, Gilgamesh would stop and write what we were doing in tablets saying that one day his story would be told throughout the land. When we reached the forest We took on Humbaba, the guardian of the forest. We finished him off and went back home. Years later Shamhat tells me that the gods have sent a monster to kill Gilgamesh, the Bull of Heaven. I rush to his aid and we end up defeating him. Unfortunately, the gods were not happy with this outcome and decided to get rid of us both. Shamhat argued with them and tried to save us both but in the end was only able to save Gilgamesh. When Ishtar, the goddess of fertility and war, came to me she said I would become ill and at the end of my life I would be sent back to my time. When the time of my death came, my spirit left the body into another time like Ishtar said and the last word I heard as I traveled through time was the name I used in that time, "Enkidu."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enkidu
as i step out of my time machine i find my self facing a room full of books. the room was old, and had a smell of ink and leather. as i walk through the room i deside to opens some of the books and to my surprize i find that most of the books talk about the economic and the enviroment of the country but nothing about religon. i continue to search through more and more books that seam to be tally sheet about how much there country spends and what they do about it. After looked through lots of books i deside to give up on my search and descide see what was outside this small room. as i leave the room and walked up the stairs to a second floor i find my self faced with a bronze sculpure that seem to be a sculpure of the head of a akkadian ruler. as i begin to study it more i hear the sound of a beeb and new that i was time for me to go home. as a walk threw the room with the books i decided that when i get home i'm going to study up on why the don't write books about there religion. i sigh and head back home, to my time.
I was on my third destination on my wicked time machine that would allow me to travel to any time period of history and go check it out.
My destination today was the Babylonian times, i was very anxiouse to acquire what i would find but had a special interest in the architecture in those times
to compare upon possible philosophies we might have inherented towards the right technique of Architecture. So i was on my way, but in contrary to my past voyages with
history i decided to bring a spray paint can just in case, because you never know what might tag around....
So i was off, A portal of bright colors and tense electrical waves apeared before me, my portal to transport was present. I leaped into it and when i landed my leap i found myself on the other side of the portal i was in ancient babylonia. Nice i made it safe without any complications or sudden electrical burns because you know how these time machines are, That was close one. As i looked around i admired the architechture that adorned the area at which i was at. As i was in a village of some sort i began to turn down what seemed to be streets in babylonia, until i reached a road with writings on the ground, and suddenly i was halted by a small fellow with funny clothes in my perpective and he began to yap and yip at me as if i understood a word he was saying. As i kept a stern look at the writings on the ground i seemed to get a sudden remembering from where i had seen such a thing before, Of course i was the Rules of Hamarabi. The Rules of Babylonia were written on the ground for its citizens as a mark of not being able to be changed a solid rule of rulings. As the little dude still yapped his yappp i advanced to pull out my can and see his reaction to a perhaps tag-up, and it was clear this was hamarabi. He was clothed with garments of a white ripped robes with gold at the tip both tops and bottoms. As i saw his attire to be quiet minimal i advanced and sprayed the can quickly to a messy 730 on his chest. He then pulled out a dagger, and my work and research was done here babylonia. The electric based portal appeared and i was on my way back to a world where spray paint marks on clothes is appreciated.
Juann Mora
I woke up in the old abandond hangar I had been sqauting in for the past three weeks. It was three p.m. time for breakfast.As I ate my meager rations, I looked around and felt how lucky I was to find such an out of the way place to preform my experiments. I was pretty sure NSA would'nt find me here but you never know. I finished the food and put my shirt on. I walked over to where I had left it sitting, that infernal machina I had dreamt of so many years prior.Sitting thier right in front of me almost mockingly. I'm sure thier was some wise old saying about not treading where Gods do some sort of warning or some such nonsense well I thought good thing I don't believe in God anymore, not after what I've seen. Yes, I was sure It was laughing at me. I laughed out loud. This has got to be affecting my mind. Never the less there it was, steel incarnate, the thing that had caused me so much trouble it was supposed to be my salvation my meal ticket. It was quickly turning into a nightmare.
Well no sense in dwelling on the bad got to think positive there had to be some way to make this situation work to my advantage after all I was the only one in the world with a working time machine, that gave me a definite edge.
I walked to the cockpit of my vehicle and climbed in. It was really more of a mechanical suit much like the deep sea drivers were using. I felt when I built it it was'nt such a good thing going back in time and mucking about leaving little gentic bits and microbes that did'nt belong thier. Hell If I even stepped on the wrong bug poof people dont exist anymore. I was running late by now and needed to hurry. Time traveling was such an exact science and I was without proper supplies. I closed and locked the Head piece I felt the cavity preasurize and I powerd up the rebreather that gave me about 5 hours of breathing on each cycle. I tapped the gauge that measured the inside atmosphere and it quickly lit up and showed full. Yeah going back in time without a functioning oxegyn meter. Smart! I powerd the fusion cells up and was suddenly engulfed in a blinding light. I then sent out a time beacon in this time that was the only thing that let me come back to this time as well as find my destination. Even then it wasn't exact but the computer needed something to triangulate in order to navigate the time stream. It was more like riding a sound wave it was an echo. I input the coordinates and suddenly the light grew even more intense as the time machine and I were ripped apart sub atomicly. That was always so painful. Like being shot in the face with a double barrel shotgun full of rock salt.
The blackness faded and I found my self benaeth a tree I quickly swichted the cloaking device on. My only comfort through all of my travels was that I could observe without being observed. I could'nt risk damaging the time stream. Well thier it was in all its glory the ziggurat of King Urnammu.
I couldn't have planned this better thier was some sort of festival going on. People where going absolutely ape shit. Thier were women children and men of all ages dancing eating just enjoying life.It was intoxicating.Then a hush fell over them and they all looked at the top of the ziggurat where the priest-god would appear. He came out with flashes of light and sounds of thunder all basic chemical reactions. No doubt he had set these up days prior. It must have looked spectacular to these simple farmers. Again the rich and powerful hold information from the poor. Even worse they hide behind the veil of religion concocting some grand mythos that would help to set mankind back from true inovation and truth. I was angerd to see the people giving offerings to this false God. they brought food livestock and gold all things precious. I had to admit it this was a hell of a system though. The rich get richer and the poor dye tryin. I was sick to my stomach with this debaucle of human spirituality if you could call it that. I nearly broke the retrieve button I had hit it so hard.Thier i was being torn apart again I was back in the hangar a split second later realing I opend the hatch and fell out of the machine upchucking all over myself as I stumbled out of the rig. then I heard an loud click and realizing I was starring down the barrell of a 45. People where shouting for me to get down and put my hands behind my head. Damn! they found me again.
after telling my friends about my time machine adventures
and shown them the pictures of a few ancient sites i
decided it was time to pray to the heathen gods an attempt
to use my poorly constructed cardboard box, rubber chicken
and all,once again to hurral myself back to a time where i
dont belong. now knowing i can successfully timetravel, i
decide to go to the place i am most curious about, ancient
sumeria, well at least thats where i hoped to end up.
when the contraption stopped shaking, i emerged to notice
that i was in a vast undergroundcave. upon surveying the
beautiful spaceiousness, i notice a marvolusly constructed
temple with long streching stairs leading up to the entrence.
"I wonder whou this is for?" i make my way into the great
temple right away i notice an ancient text made up of "little
triangles"(Zecharia Sitchen)called cuneiform on the walls.
the great hall was lined with votive statues in there rigid
cylindrical prayer stance, beautifully detailed with paints
and precious stones. the hall end into a large open room
where a men and a pale women sat on throwns. they were
being served exotic fruits and mead (which is honey wine,
not beer!)it was mesmerizing to here these statuesk people
speak a language that has been gone for thousands of years.
I krept a little closer to see better, and almost wet myself
to see that the pale woman in the really sweet outfit looked
strikingley similar to me. at this point i knew i didnt have
much time and i wanted to know who she was andwhy did she rule
this beautiful and dark place. what appeared to be a servent
gestured towards the two in the brutal looking thorwns, he said
some things i couldnt understand, then bowed to the men saying
Nergal! then to the woman saying Ereshkigal! wow it was time
to go. wendy berghuis
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