REL 301 Ancient Near Eastern Religions & Cultures

Origins

Reading questions for January 15 and 17:

As you read the assignment, consider the following issues:

1. What do you think motivated the development of urban cultures: Politics? Economics? Religion? Something else?

2. What connection do you suppose there might have been between the development of cities and the invention of writing?

3. What difficulties does the great age of ancient Near Eastern texts create for their modern readers?