Human Beliefs and Myths. 2

All the previous cultures in the world, have had an impact on our future. What would we be like today, without the efforts and achievements of our long gone ancestors? The human progress started with them, and we continue the evolution, in another direction and also into a very different environment. The earliest and highest civilizations began by the three great rivers, namely the Euphrat, Tigris and the Nile. What was important for them? What kind of struggles did they have compared to us? What was important to them?
From the beginning of the human species, their main task was to find food, and in times they had to go hungry. We, on the other hand, have access to get our daily meals very easily. In order to survive and make progress, our ancestors had to regulate their society with rules and to share common myths and beliefs. What kind of myths or beliefs, regulate our world of today? Do we share common strong values and beliefs, that brings us closer together or are we on the brink of the clashes of civilizations? By looking at the previous tribes in the world, and on our long-gone ancestors, maybe we are able to see a pattern, and perhaps it's possible to predict the future. Our ancestors hard work in many areas of their society, brought better lives, but every previous civilization have so far, reached an end. Is the same going on in our time?

• The Sumerian empire(4500-2900) gave us the art of writing, and it started with cuneiform on clay board. From that period, there are preserved business account, hymns, myths, king fairy tales, laws and regulations. 
• At the same time as the Sumerian empire, arose the rich Indus culture. Cities and buildings held very high standard with bathrooms and drainings. The houses were built of burnt bricks, stones joined together with mortar that remains, and are possible to see even today. Archaeological excavations have found various types of luxury items used by the rich, including toys. That society's luxury lifestyle reminds about our own time. Money, status, cars and expensive jewellery etc. are important for man of today.
• Egypt- is a story about a new nation, created with a national unity. The tribes were gathered during a period of 3000 years, when deity took shape in a god king who ruled and united the land.The system with kings and queens continued in other parts of the world, too.
• Levant - includes Syria, Lebanon, Israel and West Jordan. In that area lived many different tribes, among them the Phoenicians and Canaanites. They were businessmen, craftsmen and colonizers.The Phoenicians had a fleet of merchant ships and were successful in their trade.  Import and export are vital for the modern economy in countries of today, too.
• The Minoan culture. Mykonos and Crete were forunners to the classical Greek high culture which have had an impact in the modern days. They are well known for their shipping and export of exquisite ceramics. Besides their art of writing, they were famous for their warfare, 
• The Etruscans celebrated the joy of life, in the beautiful italian climate. They loved fashion, music, dancing, hunting and festivities. They were not different from us in that aspect either.
• The Celts and Scytians are two nomad tribes. The Scytian's gold jewellery were very beautifully crafted, and so were their tattoos with different animals from their myths. Tattoos are very common in our modern society. It has become more like an explosion of that kind of body art. 
• The Shang dynasty created China.The Yellow River was important for the success of the rulers. It was a high culture with gardening technology and arable farming, they hunted and fought well organized. The dynasty invented the complicated alphabet, bronze casting, use of horses and carriages, and both men and women were dressed in exclusive clothes and furs.
  
  
• Maya and the Aztecs where the people of America or the New World. The first people in America came from Asia to Alaska through Bering Strait when the last Ice Age allowed a bit of a land bridge connect the continents. The Maya's were significant, with a high developed culture already at 300 BC. They invented a writing with symbols, time calender, built large temples, pyramides with beautiful sculptures and wall paitings. Their lives were totally dominated by religious beleifs. From the early beginning's they worshipped wild animals in the jungle, but turned to the stars and time itself. Priests studied astronomy, and the answers they got decided the Maya's daily lives.
• The Aztecs continued with the calender, but their worship of the gods got further, their religious ceremonies were very formal, and ended with a human sacrifice. Death was the main theme in their lives, the most important subject they constantly thought about and created around. They set the mark of death on everything.
  
  
• Incas- The Indians of the Andes. In the very hard environment, created the Incas a nation of unit and strenght. Their achivements can be compared with the Romans. They built big cities, temples, roads, irrigations, improved the textile art and ceramics. The cat was important for their religion, and that motif still remains in the Peruan crafts. Other tribes came after the Incas, for instance the Paracas and Mochica.
  
• Neolitic tribes of our time still exist. Will they survive in their own environment or will they perish? Those tribes are carrier of an ancient knowledge. They know how to cherish the nature, preserve animals and plants, and the use of nature's medicine. All this is important for us, too. May those tribes be allowed to exist in the future!