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Gender Roles In Ancient Mesopotamia

1221 Words5 Pages

Since the beginning of history women have held many social statuses and had a variety of responsibilities throughout different societies some more alike than others. Woman usually have had the lower hand with men above them throughout history. Archaeologists, Historians, and scholars have put together theories and evidence of gender norms in the workforce, society, and religion throughout Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, and the prehistoric ages. Woman played a role when it came to working in each civilization, from production to prostitution. Woman in Prehistory (before 3.000 B.C.E) lived in hunter-gatherer societies with both men and women contributing to the collection of food unlike other civilizations. In Ancient Egypt woman were …show more content…

Little is known about the religious beliefs in Prehistoric times but there is a possibility they worshipped a female goddess and figurines found may have been ritual objects. Prehistoric people may have also practiced animism. Unlike other civilizations the people of Ancient Israel followed a bible, the Hebrew bible. Israelites transitioned to the worship of one single god instead of multiple gods, choosing the male deity named Yahweh. Men in ancient Israel were always dominant in religion, although women participated in harvest dances, puberty rites, childbirth and domestic rituals, these activities were thought to only welcome women. Mesopotamian women were thought to be skilled in the art of witchcraft and were often accused, if they were found to be guilty they would be drowned. Mesopotamians usually portrayed goddesses to play traditional female attributes, unlike Egypt where as they didn’t associate their deities with stereotypical gender roles. Hathor, the chief goddess and divine mother of the king of Egypt was praised by my woman and was goddess of drunkenness, love, sex, joy, music, and poetry. Priesthood in Egypt was predominantly the role of women up until the end of the old kingdom, unlike many other civilizations. Goddesses were often portrayed with animalistic features such as cows because of their ability to lactate like mortal women.
The people of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia worshipped many gods and goddesses. Religion played a big role in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Israel they all worshipped and praised in their own ways. Both Egypt and Mesopotamia had several different deities who were thought to have many powers, both civilizations dedicated temples to gods and goddesses. Both these civilizations participated in religious rituals and gave offerings to their

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