Civilizations – Greek and Mayan
Civilizations are the foundation of societies that we live in today. One of the earliest, Mayan dates back thousands of years to almost 1500 BC. They contributed greatly to the development of calendar systems and astronomy. They were also considered to be one of the many civilizations that were very architecturally inclined. Greek civilization was another example of early life, it dates back to 3000 BC. The Greeks were known for their fascinating culture and appreciated for their sovereign grace. In order to better understand our current cultures and practices we must examine historic practices and relate them to what we follow today. Marriage can be simplified as the continuation of family, class, and the human race. Others view it as a union between a man and a woman. Religion solidifies our lives and for many, gives life a purpose. Death is the end of life. It is defined as the consciousness finally leaving the body to go to the next life. The Greeks and the Mayans shared similar views when it came to these three aspects of life. Although both civilizations have originated in different eras and parts of the world, both are culturally similar in regards to religion, marriage and death.
Greek and Mayan religion had the similar polytheistic views, which meant that both consisted of the worshipping of many Gods. (Thompson, 43) The Mayans worshipped many Gods who were separated into groups of four and associated with a distinct world direction and colour. The Gods in each group were either worshipped individually or recognized as a single deity (Gulick, 26). The Greeks had 14 major Gods and Goddesses and each represented a different aspect of life. For example, Athena was the goddess of heroic endeavour. She symbolized wisdom, inventiveness, feminism, and temperance (Gulick, 263). In both religions, the Gods were considered to be an individuals first priority. It was necessary through prayer to call upon the Gods to be witnesses in every important act that involved any promises or the start of any new enterprise. The Greeks believed that pleasing the Gods was the path to living a long and prosperous life with good fortune (Dickinson, 80). In order to please the Gods, the Greeks were required to partake in many ceremonies and sacrificial rituals. Mayans on the other hand did not believe that their Gods granted favours. Instead their Gods would only grant favours to those who offered incense, food and blood (Coe, 154). Therefore, both civilizations believed in performing sacrificial rituals. The only difference was the type of sacrificial offerings. The Greeks sacrificial offerings included bloodless offerings, which were cakes baked in the shape of animals, and blood offerings from animals that included cattle, sheep, goat and swine (source?). Mayans performed ritualistic sacrifices although they practiced human sacrifice based on the belief that the blood of the humans would strengthen the Gods (Coe, 155). Even though