http://ragnorokt.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] ragnorokt.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] hollyking 2008-08-28 05:13 am (UTC)

The closest thing I have ever seen was a book that had parallel stories from the major mythologies of the ancient near east and Europe. It then compared and contrasted them in an effort to show that each of them come from the same core root when you adjust for geography and climate.

So the gods of Babylon were somewhat unpredictable but generally beneficial and Egypt had much more static and predictable gods. The reason is the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are key to survival in that area, but they are prone to flash floods that can be quite devastating, while the Nile floods each year in a very predictable pattern, bringing both irrigation water and fresh fertile soil to Egypt. Also Egypt was somewhat geographically isolated from invading armies by the Sahara on either side of the Nile valley, allowing a more stable culture, while Mesopotamia was constantly being invaded by someone.

I know the Greeks and Norse were in there too. I will see if I can dig up the title.

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