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Lucy, the discovery of this 3.2 million-year-old fossil skeleton was such a monumental
breakthrough and what it meant for our understanding of human evolution.
In 1974, a team of researchers led by the renowned paleoanthropologist Dr.
Donald Johanson made a groundbreaking find in the Afar region of Hadar,
Ethiopia. They unearthed an almost complete fossil skeleton belonging to an early
human ancestor of our species, whom they affectionately named Lucy after the
Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
The oldest known religion in Ethiopia is a traditional belief system called "Ethiopian
Traditional Religion" or "Ethiopian indigenous faith." This religious practice
predates the arrival of Christianity and Islam in the region by thousands of years. It encompasses a wide
range of spiritual beliefs and practices that have been passed down through
generations and are deeply rooted in Ethiopian culture and heritage.
Ethiopian Religion is characterized by its strong connection to nature,
ancestral worship, and the belief in supernatural forces and spirits. It incorporates
elements of animism, where various aspects of the natural world, such as rivers,
mountains, and trees, are considered to possess spiritual essence and are revered
accordingly.
The practice of Ethiopian Traditional Religion involves rituals, ceremonies, and
offerings to appease and seek blessings from ancestral spirits and deities. These
rituals often take place in sacred sites, such as forests, mountains, or ancient
stone structures known as "mazgabas."
The Aksumite religion, also known as the Aksumite Polytheism, refers to the
religious practices and beliefs of the Aksumite Empire, an ancient kingdom located
in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The primary deity of the Aksumite religion was the god Mahrem, also known as
Astar, who was considered the supreme god and the protector of the Aksumite
kingdom. Mahrem was associated with the sky, rain, and fertility. The Aksumite
kings, who held significant religious and political authority, were believed to be
direct descendants of Mahrem, solidifying their divine status and legitimacy.
In addition to Mahrem, the Aksumite pantheon included other gods and
goddesses, such as Astar, Beher, Meder, and Waraqa. Each deity had specific
domains and was worshipped for various purposes, including fertility, protection,
agriculture, and prosperity.
The Aksumites also practiced ancestor worship, believing that deceased ancestors
played a role in the spiritual well-being and guidance of the living. They would
honor and venerate their ancestors through rituals and offerings, seeking their
blessings and assistance.
The Aksumite religion was closely intertwined with the political and cultural
aspects of the empire. Temples and religious structures, such as the famous
Stelae of Aksum, were erected to honor the gods and commemorate the rulers.
Ritual ceremonies, sacrifices, and festivals were held to celebrate important
events, agricultural cycles, and religious observances.
With the spread of Christianity in the 4th century CE, the Aksumite religion began
to decline. Christianity eventually became the dominant religion in the region and
played a significant role in shaping Ethiopian culture and identity.
Today, remnants of the Aksumite religion can still be found in Ethiopian Orthodox
Christianity, which incorporates some elements and practices from the ancient
Aksumite belief system. However, the original Aksumite religion, as a distinct and
separate faith, ceased to exist as Christianity took root in the region. And by the 7th and 8th centuries, Islam would take over as the dominant religion of Africa. Which continues today.
The history of Africa begins with the emergence of hominids, archaic humans and — around 300,000–250,000 years ago — anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens), in East Africa, and continues unbroken into the present as a patchwork of diverse and politically developing nation states. The earliest known recorded history arose in Ancient Egypt, and later in Nubia, the Sahel, the Maghreb, and the Horn of Africa.
Following the desertification of the Sahara, North African history became entwined with the Middle East and Southern Europe while the Bantu expansion swept from modern day Cameroon (Central West Africa) across much of the sub-Saharan continent in waves between around 1000 BC and 1 AD, creating a linguistic commonality across much of the central and Southern continent.
#gnosticinformant #documentary #africa
The religious beliefs of Israel were rooted in the shared culture of Canaan. Although it had unique attributes that differed from the Canaanites, it still found expression in shared practices and language. Some traditional practices couldn't be merged with Yahwism, but others like sacred poetry, music, and architecture were adopted and became integral to Israelite religion. The Old Testament's embrace or rejection of these elements means that Canaanite religious influences still affect us today through biblical narratives.Before the findings at Ugarit-Ras Shamra, our knowledge of Canaanite religion was minimal and largely from indirect sources. The Old Testament did mention Canaanite deities and rituals, but these were often in a negative light, making interpretations challenging. Mentions of Canaanite gods and rituals were also found in Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Phoenician writings, including the Karatepe inscriptions from 1946. However, these weren't enough to form a complete understanding. Greek historians provided accounts of Canaanite beliefs, but it was hard to distinguish authentic traditions from later additions. Excavations at places like Byblos and Megiddo gave us glimpses, but only a fragmentary picture.Now, thanks to discoveries at Ras Shamra (ancient Ugarit) in North Syria, the Canaanites tell their own story. Hundreds of clay tablets found there, written in a dialect close to Biblical Hebrew, offer rich insights. These tablets feature extensive mythological poems, records related to temple services, lists of deities and sacrifices, and details about temple workers and rituals. Additionally, artifacts linked to gods like Baal and Dagon, including temple remains and stelae, have been uncovered.It's crucial to understand that while there was a core Canaanite religious belief, local variations existed. Not every Canaanite city would have worshiped all the gods we know from the texts. Canaanite religion was more of a public affair than a personal one. Its rituals, mostly centered on ensuring fertility, were community events. Though there were individual acts of devotion, as seen in Phoenician inscriptions, the religion was mainly a communal way to connect with nature's forces. This involved practices believed to ensure continued creation and rejuvenation. The prominence of some deities in mythological writings doesn't always reflect their actual popularity among Canaanite devotees. Conversely, some gods, like Dagon, had a minimal role in myths—merely acknowledged as Baal's father—but seemed quite revered, as evidenced by a dedicated temple and two stelae in Ugarit.EL, the hebrew word for GOD, is the Supreme God and creator, and shows up as ALLAH in arabic.YHWH’s revelation is always at a mountain, whether called Sinai or Horeb, pictures the event is a volcanic eruption. As these texts show, volcanism seems to be an essential attribute typically associated with YHWH, linking him to the Craftsman Metalurgy gods I mentioned before. The account of the Sinai revelation, with its volcanic imagery, is meant to show that YHWH himself, and not simply a divine emissary, but a Demiurgic Crafstman.Some believe Mount Sinai might be one of these Arabian volcanoes, which the Israelites approached after departing Egypt. The Kenites seem to have been skilled metalworkers. Genesis 4 discusses Cain's descendant, Tubal-Cain, as a craftsman skilled in molding copper and iron. Semitic cognates of Cain hint that metallurgical activities were integral to its meaning. Hence, Cain might originally have represented the pioneering figure in metallurgy, with the Kenites—both metalworkers and smelters—as his successors. Their association with a volcanic deity like YHWH becomes clearer in this context.00:00:00 - Intro00:02:21 - Chapter 1: Canaanite Religion00:05:33 - Chapter 2: the God EL00:07:14 - Chapter 3: Divine Craftsman00:10:38 - Chapter 4: PTAH, Demiruge00:12:48 - Chapter 5: Elephantine Jews00:17:27 - Chapter 6: Yahweh, Midianite Metallurgy God00:24:59 - Chapter 7: YHWH vs. Ba'al00:32:18 - Chapter 8: Dionysian IAO00:37:54 - Chapter 9: Dionysus of the Desert00:39:57 - Chapter 10: Yahweh Inscriptions00:42:50 - Chapter 11: EL, King of the North00:45:45 - Chapter 12: Saturn, King of ELOHIM00:53:57 - Chapter 13: Old Gods - BAD00:58:00 - Chapter 14: Breasts of Gaia (2 Mountains)01:01:27 - Chapter 15: Jewish Polythesim01:03:22 - Chapter 16: Rise of Monotheism01:19:25 - Chapter 17: Demetrius Phalerius01:26:16 - OUTRO: Plutarch on 'AMEN'#gnosticinformant #judaism #documentary