The Place and Importance of Water and Life in Religion and Civilizations

Abstract

Since its existence, humanity has attributed various meanings to many elements of nature and has sanctified some of them. Trees, mountains, celestial bodies and water are a few of them. Water has a much more special meaning for them, too. People have seen water as a means of cleansing, purification, getting rid of sins, healing, fertility, rebirth and a source of life. In addition, they also believed in the punishment and destruction aspect of water. People took particular care to locate the civilizations they would establish in environments where there was water. Water-related rituals and ceremonies have been developed in many religions and beliefs. Baptism, bathing in rivers, washing hands before meals, scattering the ashes of dead people into water, and touching water before worship are some of these. In some civilizations, water has often been deified and worshiped as a symbol. Although water is not deified in Turkish civilizations, it is considered sacred and given great importance. Water and life have taken their place in people's lives as two concepts that complement each other. In this study, the place of water and life in human life in sacred religions and other belief systems, the establishment of civilizations and the importance of water and life in the continuation of civilizations have been researched, and it is aimed to explain to the readers by examining the view of water and life of civilizations and religious beliefs from past to present.