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CHM4E Updated - March 2015

UNIT 7: MYTHS AND EARLY RELIGIONS

Topic 1: Pre-Literate Religions

Read pages 132 – 135 in your text book.

Assignment #1: Comprehension Questions

1. What is a religious ritual?2. Why are rituals important?3. What comes to mind when you hear the word ritual?4. What rituals have you participated in or observed?

Although some people may believe that rituals are outdated cultural and/or religious expressions that are no longer meaningful in modern society, rituals are an important part of daily life. Modern societies not only maintain traditional rituals, but they create and accept new ones.

5. What is a pre-literate religion?6. Why did pre-literate peoples develop myths?7. What is a monotheistic religion? Give one example.8. Why do you think that ancestor worship – that is, praying to dead relatives – is a common

feature of pre-literate religions?9. Re-create the following chart on your lesson paper and complete the chart based on the

information on page 134 of your text book.

Name of Belief What People Believed Where Belief was Practiced

10. What was the purpose of sacrifice?11. In your own words, explain Why God’s test of Abraham was so effective.

Algonquin Achievement Centre


Assignment #2: Building your Own Totem

As you learned from reading page 143 of your text, totemism is a central part of many Aboriginal cultures in Canada. Aboriginal peoples believe that we are born connected to certain animals that serve as guides throughout our lives. Have you ever felt drawn to a certain animal before? Have you ever been bitten by an animal? Aboriginal peoples believe feeling drawn to and being bitten by an animal are powerful sign that you are connected!

Using the Internet, find out more about totem animals by going to the following website and clicking on the link Animals.

Website: http://www.sharingcultures.ca

Look for characteristics that you can identify with. For example, spiders are associated with creative people, such as artists and writers, because in some traditions the spider is the one who spun the world into being with its beautiful weaving.

1. Choose one animal that you feel best represents you.

2. Design a poster on Bristol board or poster board that includes the following:

A collage of pictures or photographs of your totem animal A summary of why this animal was important to Aboriginal cultures (i.e. what the animal

was responsible for according to their beliefs) Descriptive words about you and your totem animal (e.g. proud, wise, strong,

determined)

3. Write a one-paragraph explanation of why you chose this animal to be your totem. Describe the characteristics you share with the animal. Attach your explanation to the back of your poster



Topic 2: Ancient Egyptian Religion



1. Have your teacher make a copy of the following map and locate Egypt and the Nile River.

2. How was a body mummified?3. Who was King Tut?

Assignment #2: A Picture is Worth a thousand Words

The ancient Egyptians cared a lot about what happened to their bodies and souls after they died. Nothing was more important than the sarcophagus – the case that held their earthly remains. The Egyptians placed a linen-wrapped mummy inside the sarcophagus, which was decorated with carvings and paintings depicting scenes from the life of the dead person. Most cases that have been excavated resemble the human form, with a portrait of the head of the dead person. Algonquin Achievement Centre


Varied materials were used to make a sarcophagus, including stone or metal. Solid gold was even used for the sarcophagus of King Tut!

You are going to design the cover of your own sarcophagus by blending Egyptian style with modern objects.

Do some research for different examples of Egyptian coffins. Check out the following websites:

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/coffins.htmhttp://www.touregypt.net/featurestorues/headdress.htm

http://www.otagomuseum.govt.nz/dyn_documents/mummy.pdf

Have your teacher made of copy of the sarcophagus, outline on page 52 or draw your own. Begin by sketching the details of the face, headdress, and clothed body. Use symbols to represent events in your life. When you are satisfied with your design, use coloured markers, pencils or paint to create your finished product.

Sarcophagus


http://www.otagomuseum.govt.nz/dyn_documents/mummy.pdf

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestorues/headdress.htm

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/coffins.htm


Assignment #3 A Tour of Ancient Egypt

Log on to the Ancient Egypt virtual exhibit at the British Museum at:

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.htm


http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.htm


Gods and Goddesses

Click on the link to Gods and Goddesses. Then click on Story. Read the events of the creation of the universe.

1. Re-create the following and then label the boxes with the Gods names.

Go back to the Gods and Goddesses page. Click on Explore. Then find each of the gods identified in your diagram.

2. What similarity is there in the bodies of the female goddesses and the male gods? Clue: Check out the legs!

Mummification

Now return to the Ancient Egypt home page. Click on the link Mummification. Then click on Story. Read about the two processes of embalming and wrapping.

3. What was the name of the containers that held the body organs?



4. What was the name for the Egyptian charms that helped the dead on their journey through the underworld?

5. What was the name of the book of spells that helped the body safely to the afterlife?6. What god painted onto the linen?

Now click on Explore on the web page. Then click on the objects to learn more about them.

Now click on Challenge and try a few spells!

Temples

Return to the Ancient Egypt home page. Click on Temples. Then click on Story.

7. How was the function of a temple different from the function of a tomb?8. How far into the temple could the average Egyptian enter?9. What was hidden in the innermost sacred part of the temple?

Now click on Explore on the web page. The click on The sanctuary.

10 What does the most sacred part of the sanctuary contain?11. What did the priests do with the status of the god every day?

No click on Challenge and take the test (you can do this for fun)



Topic 3: Ancient Greek Religion



1. Where else are Greek myths found in modern culture (page 141)2. Why has story of the Trojan horse entertained people for so long?3. Odysseus is said to be smart. What two clever tricks does he play on Polyphemus? (page

143)4. What is the Iliad?5. What is the Odyssey?6. Why are the Greek myths so entertaining?7. What lessons can be learned from Greek mythology?

Assignment #2 Greek Gods and Goddesses

Read about the list of Gods and Goddesses on page 142 of your text book, then log on to the British Museum’s website about ancient Greek at:

http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk

Click on Gods & Goddesses and then Explore.

Investigate ONE of the gods on this page. Read all the categories for the god you choose. As you read, record the key information about the god in a chart like the example below.

God/Goddess:

Introduction

Symbols

Story

Objects

Places

Festivals


http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/


Assignment #3: Labours of Hercules

Go to the following web site to learn about the Labours of Hercules

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/labors.html

1. What are the 12 labours of Hercules2. Select one of the labours of Hercules from the list on the web page1`and then write (using

point form) the keys points involved in the labour you have chosen.

Topic 4: Aztec Religion



1. Who was Quetzalcoatl?2. Look at the image on page 145 in your text book, what details in that image demonstrate

the Quetzalcoatl’s power?

3. Looking at the illustration of the Pyramid of the Sun, what details do you see in the illustration that make the temple seem so impressive? (page 146)

4. Why did the Aztecs offer human sacrifices to the gods? (page 146)5. What Aztec festivals involved human sacrifices? (page 146)6. What were the two important differences between the Aztec’s forms of confession

compared to Catholic confession? (page 147)Algonquin Achievement Centre

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/labors.html


Assignment #2: What happened?

Watch the short animated presentation “The Aztecs” and then answer the following question:

What happened to the once great Aztec civilization?

Go to the following web site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNzERlekfPEhttp://www.history.com/video/the-aztecs#the-aztecs

Topic 5: Norse Religion

Read pages 148 – 151 in your text book


1. Who were the Vikings and where did they come from?2. Who was Leif Ericsson? (page 149)3. Where did Norse mythology begin?

Assignments #2: Norse Myths

Read the following Norse myths and then answer the questions that follow.

Myth #1: Thor’s Stolen Hamme

One morning mighty Thor woke to find that his hammer, Mjollnir, was missing. He woke all of the other gods and goddesses asking if they had seen his hammer, but none of them had, and became quite upset to hear that Mjollnir was missing. Mjollnir was the most powerful weapon that the gods possessed, and if their enemies heard that Mjollnir was missing then they might attack, and the gods would be powerless against them. Loki, the trickster god, had an idea about who had stolen Mjollnir, so he turned himself into a falcon and flew off to find Thrym, the king of the giants. When Loki found Thrym, the giant confessed that it was indeed him that had stolen the hammer while Thor slept. Thrym also said that he had hidden it in a place where no one could find it, and he would not return Mjollnir until Freyja, the most beautiful of all the goddesses, was made his bride. Loki flew off to tell the gods the bad news. They debated and argued, but they came to the conclusion that Freyja must become Thrym's wife so that the hammer would be return. Freyja and the other gods started preparing for Freyja's wedding when the god Heimdall came up with an idea: Dress mighty Algonquin Achievement Centre


Thor up in Freyja's clothing and send him to marry Thrym. Thor didn't like the idea of dressing up like a woman, but his disliked the idea of beautiful Freyja becoming Thrym's bride even more, so he reluctantly agreed. Thor, dressed as a bride, was accompanied by his "handmaiden" Loki to Thrym's castle. When Thor and Loki arrived, Thrym welcomed them in, and held a feast in their honour. Thor ate and entire ox, a net full of salmon, and six barrels of mead by himself, and when Thrym asked Loki why the "maiden" was eating so much Loki replied that she had not eaten for a week in anticipation of the wedding and was famished. Thinking that "Freyja" was really in love with him he decided to give her a kiss. Thrym lifted her vail and prepared to kiss his bride when he caught sight of her red eyes. Alarmed, he asked Loki why his bride's eyes looked the way that they did. Smoothly Loki replied that she had not slept for a week either, and would be fine once she had had a chance to rest. Dim-witted Thrym accepted this and decided to make his bride wait no longer for the wedding. Fetching Mjollnir and holding it aloft he prepared to bless the union when Thor could take it no longer. He ripped off his bridal clothes, grabbed his hammer, and beat all of the giants to death with it, starting with Thrym.

Myth #2: Fenris the Wolf

The wind howled almost as loudly as the cub Fenris did. The young cub was no older than one year, and already he was larger than any of the other wolves his age. He knew not who his parents were. He had been adopted by a small pack of mountain wolves before he could remember and had traveled with them ever since. Fenris's life began by being protected by the pack, but even at the age of one, he was more like their protector. He ate no differently than the rest, was no different in any regard that could be seen, and yet he grew twice as fast as they did; and he was nearly as strong as the full grown wolves in the pack. Once they had been feasting on a deer that the pack had brought down the day before when they were attacked by a troll. Three of the older wolves launched at its throat, but the huge troll merely swept them aside with a tree trunk that it swung as a club. One of the wolves that Fenris had learned to call "brother" latched onto the trolls back leg. Fenris howled in rage and grief as he heard his brother's back snap when the troll brought its hand down on the young wolf. Fenris dug his back legs into the ground and leapt with tremendous power. He struck the troll in its chest and it toppled backwards, losing its weapon. The troll brought its fist to Fenris's ribs, but they did not break. It hit him again and again, but Fenris did not break his hold; he merely sunk his teeth in deeper and deeper into the wretched creature's throat. The troll's arm finally sunk to the earth as the life ebbed from his body. Fenris released his grip, black blood dripping from his hairy muzzle, running down his neck, and staining his paws. Fenris let loose a mighty howl that shook the very ground. The other wolves regarded him in fear, a wolf of only one year old, and yet today had proven stronger than any wolf that had ever been written about in legend, maybe that ever existed. Not even the wolves of Odin could kill a troll by themselves. Fenris tried to live among the pack, but they all feared him, and none thought of him the same. Fenris left the warmth of the pack and slowly walked into the cold black night, the snow swirling around him. Fenris wandered the hills for many nights, never finding rest. When his body growled for food Fenris started putting his nose to the ground sniffing for a trail. Ahead in a clearing he caught site of a rabbit nibbling on some grass that was sticking through the snow. As Fenris crept toward it though, it seemed not to see



him but to sense him and it turned to face him. It however did not run, it stared at him, seeming to almost smile. Fenris growled. He smelled the change before he saw it, but the rabbit did change. It leapt forward, and in mid leap became a man, clothed in a garb of different shades of grey. The man had a black beard and mustache and dark shifty eyes. Fenris not so much saw, but felt, or smelled, the dishonesty and deception that seemed to hang on the man thicker than his grey coat of animal skin. Yet, there was something about him, a familiarity.

"Hello, Fenris. I have been waiting for you. You're a hard wolf to find despite your many differences from the others of your kind."

The hair on Fenris's back stood upright, and he growled, "Who are you? What differences?"

The black-haired man laughed, "I am Loki, and you are blind if you see no differences between you and the mere wolves of these mountains."

"I am the same--" Fenris' words were cut off by the sound of a third person suddenly speaking.

"Enough Loki! We do it my way."

Fenris had a sudden thought of anger toward himself for not detecting the second man in the trees to his left. He managed to turn his head enough to catch a glimpse of a splendidly dressed man in golden armor. His red beard hung down to the top of his breast plate and was neatly braided into two thick braids. This was all he saw before a spinning hammer struck him in the side of the head. As he slipped into unconsciousness he heard the two strangers talking.

"You never did have much patience, did you Thor?"

Thor laughed, "We don't have time for you to talk him into unconsciousness, we're only immortals"

Fenris slipped into darkness. He had a foggy memory of being carried through the woods. He also remembered dimly seeing a castle and more people gathered around looking down at him. When he finally awoke he looked around and saw he was being kept in a cage. He howled with anger and growled as he looked around his prison.

One day Odin came to pay him a visit. Fenris growled through the iron bars, "Why am I here? How long are you going to keep me?"

Odin laughed, "You are here because it was seen that you and your family would destroy the world, if something was not done."

"So you plan on keeping me here for all eternity?"

"No, we will only keep you here as long as it takes us to figure out how to kill you. Unfortunately you don't die as easily as the rest of your pack."

Fenris who had lain down to show this one-eyed man he wasn't afraid of him, now leapt to his feet. His words were almost intelligible from a growl, "What?"



"I sent the troll, and when it failed to kill you I sent Thor and Loki. It was seen that your family would also be part of the destruction of the world, so they all had to die."

Fenris saw his brother's dead-yellow eyes staring at nothing and heard the words of Odin all too clearly in his head again, ‘They all had to die.' Fenris leaped forward, the bars bent like butter as he thrust his head through, snapping his jaws at the man's head. Odin drew back in astonishment and was just saved. There was a gaping hole in the bars, but they still held. Fenris launched again, and again at the bars. Odin turned and hastily left the room, locking the door behind him. Fenris lifted his head and howled.

The days passed, and he was moved to a stronger cell. The only one of the Norse men and women who dwelled in this fortress however that were brave enough to feed him was the one they called Tyr. Fenris never tried to kill him, and never had a desire to. He almost liked the young Norseman, except for his coarse jokes about wolves that he seemed to come up with overnight. Fenris spent most of his time thinking about Odin and how he could kill him. One day as Tyr was opening the door to feed him, Fenris caught site of Odin out in the courtyard. The two inch metal bars snapped as the giant wolf thrust himself against them. He made it to the door. Tyr tried to close it, but the wolf rammed past him. Tyr was head and shoulders taller than any mortal man, but the force by which Fenris hit the door sent him flying backward as if he weighed nothing. The door was burst into splitters. Odin was accompanied by Thor, Balder, and Skadi. Skadi saw the wolf first and her spear of ice appeared in her hand as she yelled a warning to the others. She then hurled the spear with the accuracy of a goddess. Although the spear could normally pierce any metal or stone, the speed with which Fenris ran and his shear strength shattered the ice spear upon impact. Fenris growled at the pain and launched forward again. Thor had his hammer in hand and dealt a earth shattering blow to the massive wolf's side. Fenris rolled to the side, got up, shook it off, and walked straight for Odin. Fenris was now large enough to look at Odin at eye level. Loki, watching from the wall, jumped off and in mid-air his arms molded into great wings. By the time he reached the fight there was nothing human about him, only the form of a great hawk, who closed its talons around the shoulders of Odin lifting him off the ground and to safety. Thor had his hammer raised, Skadi had produced another spear, and Balder had his sword drawn. All were waiting to strike. Fenris ignored them all he kept his gaze ever on Odin.

Tyr ran toward Fenris a massive chain in hand. Fenris was yelling after Odin, "I will sink my teeth in you before I die! That I promise you!"

While Fenris was distracted Tyr through the chain around the wolf, but Fenris shook and pulled and the chain split at every link. All stepped back none wanting to face this beast.

Dropping Odin upon the wall Loki swooped back to earth, landing a few steps in front of Fenris.

"I am sorry, my friend. I have always been on your side, but alas...Odin is a companion of mine so I was indebted to help him. I do believe that you are the strongest of all creatures, and could easily break any chair or cord fashioned to hold you, but I happen to have a cord fashioned by the dwarves. They claim that it is unbreakable. Now if you will allow me to test their words, and if you will allow me to bind you with it, I will make you a deal. If you break the cords, then you are indeed worthy of doing battle with Odin, and you may face him in combat. However, if you



fail to break my dwarves- made cord you must leave this place and never return, not to seek your revenge on Odin or to trouble us ever again."

"How do I know you will release me if I cannot break your cord? I will agree to your test if one of you will place their right hand in my mouth. That way if you go back on your word..." Fenris snapped his massive jaws to finish the sentence.

Loki was a bit aggravated at being outwitted, and was about to try to dissuade the wolf, when Tyr stepped forward and pulled his sleeve back from his arm.

Loki looked Tyr in the eye and shook his head ever so slightly, but Tyr only nodded in answer and held his hand out, steady and unflinching.

Fenris had a pang of regret. He had not thought that anyone would take him up on the offer, least of all the only one that he liked, but Fenris knew he had made the deal and he could not go back on his word. So he firmly placed his jaws around his caretakers arm. Loki pulled a cord from his cloak. It seemed to change colors in the sun, shifting from blue to green and back again. Once the cord was securely fastened, Loki stepped back and nodded for Fenris to attempt to break free. The great wolf flexed, pulled, struggled with every ounce of energy he had. He struggled all night long. His hate for Odin was strong enough to push him to the edge.

Finally, as the sun rose Loki again spoke. "You cannot break free?"

The great wolf shook his head, ever mindful of Tyr.

Then I am sorry my friend, but you are to never be freed."

Fenris is his rage then bit down till his teeth clacked together and Tyr writhed in pain.

Balder and Thor grabbed Fenris and hauled him to a great rock chaining his now helpless body to it. Fenris opened his mouth wide attempting to bite one of the two. It was then that Balder took his sword and lodged it in the wolf's mouth. If he was to bite down he would end his own life.

Loki was the last person to leave the rock. As he left he said, "Worry not my Fenris, you will not be chained forever. I may have need of you when Odin has outlived his usefulness. In that day you will howl once again." With that Loki left, his dark grey cloak turning pitch black for a split second.

Questions:

1. What did you learn about the Norse from these stories?2. What elements did these stories have in common?3. In what ways were these stories different?



Assignment #3 The Gods of Early Religions

Ask your teacher to make a copy of the following page. Complete the word search puzzler by funding and circling the names of the gods listed below. The names may be vertical, horizontal or diagonal and backward or forward.


Unit 7 – Complete – Hand in for Marking

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