Ancient People and Cultures

Tibetan carved kapala !

Ancient Israelite & Judean Religion: Its History and Development

As early as the 10th century BCE, Israelite and Judean religion began to emerge within the broader West Semitic culture, otherwise known as Canaanite culture. Between the 10th century and the 7th century BCE, ancient Israelite and Judean religion was polytheistic. The polytheism, though, was counterbalanced by devotion to one or two primary deities, a practice known as henotheism. Henotheism is the recognition and worship of many deities; however, the primary worship revolves around a single deity. Within Judean and Israelite communities, primary devotion was oftentimes towards Yahweh. As both Judah and Israel were emerging states, Yahweh was the national deity, an idea tjat finds its origins in religious practices from the Bronze Age.

In terms of practice, temple worship and sacrificial rituals like Yom Kippur, New Moon festivals, Pesach, and other festivals played a central role. Practices such as divination and prophecy were also common forms of religious devotion. In terms of actions, ethical behavior played an important role in how ancient Israelite and Judeans expressed religious devotion.

The Broader West Semitic Context

Between the 10th and 7th century BCE, ancient Israelite and Judean religion took place in cultic and temple contexts. Although the many Jewish and Christian traditions suggest that Yahweh was the main and only deity throughout all Israelite and Judean religious history, archaeology, inscriptions, and the Hebrew Bible itself indicate otherwise. Even so, the deity being worshiped, usually Yahweh, was understood to be physically present in the temple, have a body, and be a personal god with emotions and willpower.

Furthermore, ancient Israelite and Judean religion shared the common idea that the deity was a divine essence. This divine essence was often expressed through the notion of holiness. So, the worshippers were required to maintain the temple’s holiness so that the deity would be able to live in the temple, which was considered his or her house. To do this, sacrifices, offerings, and liturgy were offered to the deities. Broadly speaking, these form a basic framework for how ancient Israelites and Judeans expressed religious devotion to their deity.

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Shell, limestone, and lapis lazuli game board, city of Ur, Sumer, circa 2450 BC

Enki: The Tricky Sumerian God of Wisdom

Enki (also known as Ea, Enkig, Dis, Nagbu, Nissiku Nudimmud) was the Sumerian god of wisdom, freshwater, intelligence, trickery and mischief, crafts, magic, exorcism, healing, creation, virility, fertility, and art. In every story or legend, Enki is associated with the heights and depths of universal understanding and is always seen as a friend of humanity. When given a choice between serving the will of the gods or the needs of the people, Enki always chose human interests and always the path of compassion, forgiveness, and wisdom.

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Iggaak, Thule, Native American, ca. 800–1200,

Walrus ivory,  1 1/8 × 5 in. (2.9 × 12.7 cm),

These goggles were used to shield the eyes from windblown ice and the glare of the sun upon the Arctic snow. Significant to the owner or maker, engraved double lines, spikes, and linear projections form the border. The designs, along with the narrow eye openings, create a distinct appearance. Arctic peoples have made and worn such highly effective eyewear for centuries.

NAPLES, ITALY—An intact tomb dating to the fourth century B.C. has been discovered in Pompeii by French archaeologists from the Jean Bèrard Center. The tomb was constructed by the Samnites, who lived in south-central Italy and fought against the Romans. “It is an exceptional find for Pompeii because it throws light on the pre-Roman city about which we know so very little,” archaeological superintendent of Pompeii Massimo Osanna told The Local, Italy. An adult woman had been buried in the tomb with amphoras that originated in other regions of Italy. The contents of the jars will be analyzed, but are thought to contain cosmetics, wine, and food. The research team will look for additional tombs in the area, which was heavily shelled during World War II. “It’s a miracle that this has survived,” Osanna said. To read more about Pompeii, go to “Saving the Villa of the Mysteries.”

This graph shows a possible evolution of the genus homo, adapted from notes by Bernard Wood and Jennifer Baker, both of the Department of Anthropology at George Washington University. To the left is the scale, going from zero to eight million years ago. In bold are the taxa that are conventionally included in the genus. This data (from first appearance to last appearance) is based on fossils, but the span of existence may have been longer.

A tiny mountainous region in southern Siberia may have been the genetic source of the earliest Native Americans, according to new research by a University of Pennsylvania-led team of anthropologists.

Neanderthals Were Using Paint 250,000 Years Ago - ‘Thousands of Years Earlier Than Previously Thought’

Neanderthals were using red paint up to 250,000 years ago - far earlier than previously thought.

Traces of the paint, made from ochre, were dug up in the Netherlands and dated to a quarter of a million years ago.

Scientists are keeping an open mind as to what the sub-species of humans did with it back then although it is often considered a sign of symbolic behaviour such as artwork and body painting.