Western civilization Essay

The techniques for dating and interpreting artifacts

The techniques for dating and interpreting artifacts are crucial because they help us place events and objects in chronological order and revise previous inferences. Putting the events in chronological order helps one to comprehend history and western culture. Absolute dating and relative dating are the two primary techniques for dating artifacts. Radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence, and dendrochronology are examples of methods used in absolute dating. Typology and strata are involved in relative dating. (McKay, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks & Perry, 2010).

The culture of Egypt between 3000 and 1000 BC

The majority of Egypt’s population between 3000 and 1000 BC was made up of children and young adults who aspired to live to be 110 years old. The young population maintained a stable culture. During the period, Egypt was among the realest civilizations. The population maintained a complex, stable, strikingly unique culture that influenced the other countries such as those in the Middle East and Europe (McKay, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks & Perry, 2014). The difference between Egypt and the other countries such as those in the Middle East was as a result of the maintenance that they gave to the culture. After the Pharaonic era, the country came under the influence of Hellenism where they adopted Christianity and later Islamic cultures.

The unique features of the culture of Egypt

Among the unique features of the culture of Egypt is the language that was used. The Egyptian language was among the first languages to be written (McKay, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks & Perry, 2014). The language preserved the monuments that were in the country. It is in the later stages of the country that there was emergence of other languages. This is different with the civilization that was in the Middle East where there were influences of several languages before the emergence of a common language. Most of the languages that were used in the Middle East at the time were dialects. The other culture that was preserved by the ancient Egypt during the period was their literature. The country is known for the ancient pyramids which they used as burial sites.

The challenges in preserving the culture of Egypt

In preserving the culture, the main challenge that was faced in Egypt was the interaction with the other communities and countries. Through the interaction, some of the cultures of the visitors were adopted. Initially, Egypt spoke one language but after the interaction with the other visitors to the region, there were many languages that came up (McKay, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks & Perry, 2014). Some of the artifacts that resembled the culture of the region were also lost due to pollution. The art which was one important culture of the nation was affected by the art that were brought in from the other cultures.

The code of Hammurabi

The code of Hammurabi emerged as a result of the expansion that was in the city-state of Babylon. The code was a collection of 282 standards and laws that were to be used for commercial interactions and set the punishments that were used to achieve justice. The code was proclaimed in the end of Hammurabi’s regime when there was the development of a finger-shaped black stone (McKay, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks & Perry, 2014). The structure was later looted by invaders. When the codes that were in the in the black stone are compared to the modern laws in America, it is determined that they both offer protection to property and have different punishment for those that commit different crimes based on severity. Both the laws have also been used mainly to ensure law and order in the regions. The difference is that the code of Hammurabi was not only meant to keep law and order but also to show the kingdom of the right activities in the kingdom.

References

McKay, J. P., Crowston, C. H., Wiesner-Hanks, M. E., & Perry, J. (2014). A History of Western Society.

McKay, J. P., Hill, B. D., Buckler, J., Crowston, C. H., Wiesner-Hanks, M. E., & Perry, J. (2010). A History of Western Society, Volume C: From the Revolutionary Era to the Present (Vol. 3). Macmillan.