Prologue

How religion is viewed historically varies with the individual historian. Some view religion as an integral part of a civilization, and others reserve a place for religion in history on the proverbial back burner. It is important for a historian to realize that the representation of religion should include the uniqueness of each religion, but it should also present commonalities between them in order to facilitate historical comparison. It is also important to understand that each civilization had distinctive religious traditions but, over thousands of years, these became interconnected and sometimes fused to form a new religion.

I wanted to create this book because, in my years of teaching, I have utilized many texts, but I could never find a textbook that addressed the importance of religion in civilizations. I want my students to understand civilizations as a whole system, which includes not only religion but also political and social characteristics. The articles in this book focus on the civilization as a whole with an emphasis on the religious practices. It is my hope that this book will encourage my students to evaluate civilizations and their cultures critically and historically.

I would like to thank those who have educated and encouraged me on my path in the world of history and archaeology: Dr. Doug Burgess, Dr. Mel Page, and Dr. Jay Franklin; my husband, Mickey Woodring; my children, Matthew and Rebecca; and especially all of my students. I never intended to write what I consider a textbook, even though the books I have used in the past did not quite satisfy my needs in the classroom. The lack of including religion in those textbooks gave rise to the idea for this book. It is my way of extending the historical importance of religion beyond the common one found in textbooks.