In the ancient world, there were many different religions and belief systems. But to this day, the temples in which they preached were destroyed or plunged into the sands of the deserts, and the ancient gods have long been forgotten. All religions on this list were founded much earlier than Christianity, Hinduism or Islam, but most of them completely disappeared many hundreds of years ago.
1. Finnish paganism
Finnish paganism was the name given to the indigenous religion of Finland, which existed long before the advent of Christianity in this country. In fact, it developed (as in neighboring countries) from shamanism and ancestor worship. Finns also placed great emphasis on the power of words and believed that everything (even trees and rocks) has a soul. Finnish paganism was closely associated with nature, and the ancestors of modern Finns believed that "the world was created from the egg of a diving duck." The main god in this religion was Ukko, the god of sky and thunder. The holiday in his honor, which was celebrated on April 4, was one of the most important dates on the calendar.
2. Canaanite religion
There are very few records of the Canaans who inhabited the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. The only thing known from the Torah and the Bible is that they were a constant enemy of the Israelites. However, in 1927-1937, quite a few Canaanite tablets were found on the northern coast of Syria. This nationality had a polytheistic religion with many deities, the main of which were El - the supreme deity and Baal - his son, who was the god of thunder and rain. One of the most popular myths is the story of the battle between Baal and Mot, the god of death. Due to the influence of neighboring sects and the conquest of the Canaanites by Israel, this religion gradually disappeared completely.
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3. Atonism
Atonism, which was introduced by Pharaoh Akhenaten (also known as Amenhotep IV), became the official religion of Egypt during his reign. Before the advent of religion, little was known about Aten, although this was the name of the solar disk. Initially, other Egyptian deities were recognized as atonism, but later they were all abandoned. It was believed that only Akhenaten could communicate with Aton and announce his will. After the death of Pharaoh, the Egyptians soon returned to their old beliefs.
4. Minoan religion
Another unnamed polytheistic religion was the religion of the Minoans who lived in Crete. According to modern scientists, this religion was closely related to nature. The islanders worshiped a woman goddess, and also organized various competitions in her honor, which resembled modern rodeos. During recent excavations, evidence has been found that suggests that the Minoans participated in human sacrifice.
5. Mithraism
Mithraism came to Europe from Persia after the conquests of Alexander the Great. Religion, extremely popular among Roman soldiers, eventually became one of the ancient Roman mystical secret cults. Unfortunately, practically nothing is known about Mithraism. The ascetic temples of this religion were built underground, and outsiders were not allowed there on pain of death.
6. Manichaeism
Manichaeism, founded in the third century AD by a Persian named Mani, was initially viewed as a heretical Christian sect, but was later recognized as an independent religion. Its founder claimed that he managed to unite all religions in the world, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Christianity. Manichaeism, which was based on the difference between good and evil, was supposedly the path to salvation. The most ardent adherents of Manichaeism became “the chosen ones” (they were somewhat reminiscent of Buddhist monks) and began to lead a nomadic lifestyle, preaching their religion. In the Middle Ages, the followers of Manichaeism began to be persecuted, so the popularity of religion gradually faded away.
7. Tengrianism
One of the oldest religions in the world originated in the Bronze Age (between 3600 and 1200 BC). It was a monotheistic religion based on the cult of ancestors, which was developed by the Altai peoples in Central Asia. The Tengrians did not have sacred books, as in other religions, but it is known that believers worshiped the god Tengri and sacrificed horses to him. Despite the fact that since the fifth century BC (when the religion flourished) Tengrism has lost much of its popularity, today some politicians in Kyrgyzstan are trying to make it the official state religion.
8. Ashurism
The national cult of the Assyrian people, Ashurism, was almost identical to the ancient Babylonian religion, but there was also one significant difference: instead of worshiping Marduk, the Assyrians considered the supreme goddess Ashur, and also believed in thousands of gods. Ashurism was quite closely intertwined with Judaism and Christianity, these religions had the same myths about the creation of the world, the "great flood" and the Tower of Babel. Also in Ashurism there was a story about Lilith, a demon woman who was the first wife of Adam. The religion was founded around the 18th century BC and lasted until the 5th century BC - until Assyria was destroyed.
9. Religion of the Olmecs
The religion of the Mesoamerican Olmec nation has existed since 1400 BC. until the destruction of this civilization in 400 BC. The reason for the disappearance of the Olmecs still remains a mystery to scientists. The religion was closely associated with shamanism, and the main thing for the Olmecs was the jaguar god, who was responsible for rain and fertility. In this religion, sacrifices existed, and the priests also used hallucinogenic drugs that helped them "communicate with spirits."
10. Vedism
Vedism, the religion of the ancient Indo-Aryans, has been popular since 1500 BC. before 500 BC On its basis, the modern Hindu belief system was created. In these religions, in fact, the same sacred texts. The gods were divided into two categories: devas or gods of nature and asuras - gods of moral concepts. Oral hymns were extremely important for the followers of Vedism, and priests also played a huge role in various rituals. Despite the fact that animal sacrifices were practiced in Vedism, it was not very common. The supreme god of Vedism was Indra.