The belief systems of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt significantly influenced their agricultural practices and community organization. In Mesopotamia, the Sumerians believed that their agricultural success depended on the favor of the gods, which led to the construction of ziggurats and regular religious ceremonies to appease deities associated with agriculture, such as Inanna and Enlil. This reliance on divine favor not only structured their agricultural calendar but also fostered a centralized community around religious sites where people gathered for rituals and activities related to the farming cycle.
Similarly, ancient Egyptians held a profound reverence for the Nile River, viewing it as a divine gift from the gods that ensured the fertility of their land. The annual flooding of the Nile was interpreted as a blessing from Hapi, the god of fertility, which influenced their agricultural practices through the establishment of a calendar based on the river’s cycles. Additionally, this agricultural abundance fostered a strong centralized government, with pharaohs considered earthly representatives of the gods, leading to an organized society that prioritized agricultural management and monumental construction as acts of devotion.