Statuette

As the first human societies established themselves in Syria, they not only developed socially and economically but also became more aware of the world around them and of the role that each individual played in this new socioeconomic environment. As human beings always do, they gradually constructed a vision of the universe, using their capacity for reasoning to seek the meaning of the natural and supernatural forces affecting their world. They began to share a common ideology that not only reflected their interpretation of these omnipresent forces but also expressed their highest hopes and deepest fears. In their own way, and as their knowledge advanced, they attempted to find logical explanations for the phenomena that occurred around them.

Cultic stela

From the very beginning, the divine was represented by human forms. These forms were generally female, but it is not clear exactly what they symbolized. There is a close relationship between the attempt to give concrete shape to abstract notions and primitive forms of artistic expression. Eventually, these gods with human attributes were given names that identified them more precisely. Mythological tales served to explain the sometimes turbulent relations between earthly life and the divine forces that ruled it.

Model of a round house

This shared concept of the supernatural was expressed in material culture through various symbolic objects, but it also can be seen in the communities’ physical layout, as special places — temples — were built for religious purposes. The vestiges of temples tell us a great deal about religious practices and how they evolved from one period to another. The monumental style that began to characterize these places of worship was a clear indication that certain collective belief systems were becoming institutionalized.

Relief

The world’s great monotheistic religions developed in Syrian territory. The unifying power of these great religions, based on belief in one God, was very strong and was sometimes used for more than strictly religious purposes.

Brooch

In the following overview of systems of spiritual values at different periods, we will try to understand more about these societies’ collective unconscious by examining remnants of their material culture. One of the most interesting cultural facets expressed through such concrete artifacts is the notion of beauty. Perhaps the most telling dimension of the belief system centers around death and preparation for the afterlife.

_{© Musée de la civilisation, 1999}