Ancient Middle East

Assessment on 9/27/23

Oral tradition

The Epic of Gilgamesh was initially an oral tradition, meaning it was passed down through generations by word of mouth. People would tell and retell the epic poem, sharing the heroic adventures of Gilgamesh.

Epic hero

an epic’s larger-than-life main character that shows mighty deeds that reflect the values admired by the society that created the epic

-mortal, quest

Archetype

model

Apostrophe

a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses an absent or dead person, a deity, and abstract quality, or something nonhuman as if it were present and capable of responding

Epithet

An adjective or other descriptive phrase that is regularly used to characterize a person, place, or thing

Writing method and mode evolution

At first they used cuneiform, made by pressing a stylus on clay tablets. Then, they transitioned to using papyrus, provided by the Nile, which allowed Egyptians to keep written records, and allowed for ideas and literature to be shared far and wide and be recorded for future generations. Egyptians were the first to create a system of writing: hieroglyphs, script in which pictures represented ideas

Cuneiform

One of the earliest forms of writing in human history, cuneiform was a system of writing used by ancient civilizations like the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. It involved using wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets to represent different sounds and concepts.

hieroglyphs

Ancient Egyptian writing system using pictorial symbols. Used by scribes to record language, history, and religious texts on papyrus and stone

Old Kingdom

famous pyramids were constructed, and prayer, autobiography, and two literary genres peaked

Middle Kingdom

expanding colony and political power, hymns and songs appeared

New Kingdom

lyric love poems

Hymn

a lyric poem or song addressed to a divine being