Abstract
This paper is an examination of the purposes and construction of the Great Pyramids. It looks at the connection between the afterlife and pyramids and their purpose as a demonstration of power and influence. It also discusses the mysterious nature of the construction of the pyramids.

From the Paper
"Universal to virtually every human culture is the "Creation Myth or Story." A myth or story created by humans in an attempt to explain the creation, purpose, and existence of life. For the Maya, this creation story can be found in the Popol Vuh. Not only does the Popol Vuh recount the Maya creation story, but it also is a window into the religious, secular, psychological, and environmental life of the Maya people. This view can be applied to both the individual and the society and it also encompasses the cosmic world, the earth, and the underworld..... "

Tags:hero, history, myth, quiche, ritual, symbolism, creation, bible, mayan, literature

Abstract
This paper is an examination of the artwork of ancient Egypt. It looks at the paintings of ancient Egypt and explores the different messages that they hold within. Some of the themes found in these paintings include god, life after death and the actual process of dying. In many cases, the paintings are a personal history of the individual that is now preserved for future generations. The author shows how animals played an important role in their life and how many animals hold special meaning for these ancient Egyptians. The author goes into great detail about the materials used in these paintings, including the type of paints, brushes, colors, canvases and surfaces used by the Egyptians to paint these magnificent pieces of art.

From the Paper
"The artwork of ancient Egypt remains a never-ending source of fascination for many living in the modern world. Painting is perhaps the most intriguing and perceptive medium of expression used by the Egyptian artisans. The subject matter, materials used, techniques, and style reflected in the paintings mirror the time period in which they are painted. The paintings produced in Egyptian antiquity are insightful windows into the culture, beliefs, and ideals of the dynamic ancient civilization."

Tags:artisans, materials, techniques, history, religion, animals, culture, patterns, afterlife, dying, decorative, meaning, hidden, tempera, papyrus, wood, rock, memory, tomb, illustrations, portraits

Abstract
This paper describes early life in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and how the environment developed. The writer explains the significance of agriculture in bringing the people to live together in villages and sustain themselves from farming near the rivers and waterways. The paper includes details of recent archaeological discoveries in the area that support the claims.

From the Paper
"Since the early years of archeological studies, it was thought that these developments occurred concurrently, meaning that they were devised and utilized at approximately the same time; however, recent archeological research has forced this view to change, for it is now clear that "Mesopotamia and its environs were far ahead of Egypt, at least temporarily, some five thousand years ago" (Snell, 178). Numerous village/farming communities in present-day Iraq date back to the mid seventh millennium B.C.E., and the remarkable fortified town of Jericho appears to be even older. In Egypt, the oldest settlements, located near the delta of the Nile River, do not seem to have been founded much before 4500 B.C.E., and furthermore, an urban society like those found in Mesopotamia seems to have never developed there."

Tags:civilization, pyramid, nile, river, village, farm

Abstract
Martin Bernal, author of "Black Athena", argues that numerous cultural achievements that are, by tradition, attributed to the ancient Greeks, are actually found in Africa, specifically, the Egyptians. Mary Lefkowitz, author of "Not Out of Africa," argues that Bernal's findings and assumptions are incorrect. This essay examines both works and discusses the opposing views.

From the Paper
"Berlinerblau, in his review of Lefkowitz's book, discusses the importance of academic inquiry unencumbered by political conerns (Berlinerblau Pp). Lefkowitz refers to Bernal as an armchair archaeologist. However, she is not the only critic of Bernal's work (Berlinerblau Pp). Robert Palter writes, "Bernal's rhetoric is predicated, unwittingly "on ignorance and superficial understanding" (Berlinerblau Pp)."

Tags:Afrocentrist, classicist

Abstract
The paper describes and discusses a Greek krater. A krater is an ancient Greek vase or bowl. The paper looks at how kraters were originally used for mixing wine with water at banquets and describes its specific style. The paper introduces the geometric style Krater with an example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It also analyzes how the geometric style evolved and the issues with dating these works.

From the Paper
"A krater is a Greek vase or bowl. It has a wide mouth, handles on either side, and a foot on which it stands. These bowls were used to mix wine with water at banquets in ancient Greece. These vases are often adorned with scenes from Greek mythology or scenes of banquets like the one at which the krater would be used. Many of the kraters found in Greece reflect what is called the geometric style, an example of which is the Terracotta Krater, ca. 750-735 B.C., found today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The geometric style this krater represents is an early form that evolved into more advanced forms of Greek vase painting, and dating such works can be an issue because the geometric style often persisted beyond its early date and so co-existed with more advanced styles."

Tags:greek, krater, vase

From the Paper
"Art along with other activities, such as oral tradition, divination, ritual performance, and city planning reveals a culture's worldview, myths, and ideals of human behavior. These factors make an informed view of Olmec art style quite important especially because their art and architecture are the only surviving artifacts that can give clues to their culture. By analyzing the Olmec-style art it becomes possible to reconstruct a picture of their way of life, which took place during the Formative period of Mesoamerica."

Tags:ancient, ethnographic, formative, mesoamerican

Abstract
Using historical evidence of cannibalism existence, this paper identifies different forms and practices, and explains the motives for such behaviors.

From the Paper
"For millions of years, the majority of humans and their ancestors around the world have eaten meat, derived from a countless number of animals. However, the majority of these people have avoided one particular kind of meat: human flesh. For a human to knowingly eat the flesh of his own kind has been taboo to the most extreme definition of the term. Even the thought of it provokes a deep-rooted, enculturated repulsiveness that is so powerful it has actually prevented modern humans from eating remains of dead people for the sole purpose of survival (Barker, Hulme, and Iversen 1998:37). In other words, they would rather die than eat the meat of another person. The general practice of eating human flesh, anthropophagy, commonly referred to as cannibalism, has always been a subject full of controversy and debate. Hundreds of scientific studies have been published on the subject, but few have focused on the anthropological reasons for its supposed occurrence. In order to understand the true nature of cannibalism, it is necessary to examine it from a number of different perspectives. First, the historical evidence indicating that it took place must be carefully analyzed and interpreted. Second, the different forms of cannibalism must be identified and defined, and examples of their historical presence must be cited. Lastly, the motives of each type need to be explained, detailing the various tendencies of cannibalistic peoples and their practices. Only then will the appropriate significance of cannibalism and its existence become clear."

Tags:ancient, anthropophagy, archaeology, cannibal, cannibalism, culture, endocannibalism, exocannibalism

From the Paper
"Neanderthals have long been thought of as a very primitive species, but this view is changing as evidence to the contrary emerges. Studies on Neanderthal remains have shown that they were not as primitive as initially thought, and that they possessed the ability for flexible, creative behavior similar to modern man (Brainard, 1998). They have previously been thought of as lacking language skills, foresight, creativity, and other cognitive abilities found in modern humans. In 1977, German anthropologists reported finding aerodynamic wooden spears belonging to ancestors of Neanderthals made 400,000 years ago (Brainard, 1998, p. 72), and stone spearheads have been found at many Neanderthal sites in both Europe and the Middle East (Bower, 1999, p. 4). Scientists investigating Neanderthal remains in a cave in France found evidence of tool marks on the bones..."

From the Paper
"The remains of ancient Egyptian civilization speak of a cultural obsession with death and the problem of an afterlife It could be argued that the extent of the Egyptians' interest in the subject is distorted by the fact that most remains simply happen to be related to death. But the tombs have lasted to a great degree because they were carefully isolated and were nearly the only objects that the Egyptians created using permanent materials. This spectacular evidence from the age of the pyramids shows a culture in which the attempt to pass beyond the apparent limits of death was given the highest priority. In the Old Kingdom, 2658-2135 B.C., the pharaohs devoted incredible amounts of time-and resources to the construction of the pyramids in preparation for their passage after death. But evidence shows that graves of humbler sorts also demonstrate a similar concern..."