From the birth of civilization, cultures were primarily polytheistic, with animism being the first form of religion. Hunter-gatherer societies and First Nations tribes embraced this belief system, which viewed every element of nature as imbued with spirit. This era, preceding 11,000 – 12,000 years ago (approximately 9,000 BC to as far back as 2 million years), saw people living nomadic lives, following animal herds for sustenance. As agriculture and metalworking were discovered, the birth of civilization ensued, and people brought their deities along with them.
The "Neolithic Revolution" began about 12,000 years ago, marking the shift from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to permanent settlements enabled by agriculture. This development allowed for population growth and food storage. While most societies transitioned, some groups, like the Hadza people of Tanzania, continue to live traditionally as hunter-gatherers.
Myths from various cultures recount stories of divine beings, such as the Anunnaki, teaching humans agriculture. Archaeological evidence suggests the revolution started in the Fertile Crescent around 10,000 years ago (8,000 BC), encompassing areas of modern-day Iraq, Syria, and parts of Turkey.
Sumer, considered one of the earliest known civilizations, arose around 6,000 – 5,000 BC, preceding the Great Pyramids of Giza (built around 2,600 – 2,570 BC). Sumerians innovated large-scale architecture, animal husbandry, irrigation, astronomy, and mathematics. The Naqada III culture in Egypt developed hieroglyphic writing around 3,200 to 3,000 BC, a precursor to the formation of Egyptian statehood.
The Sumerian King List, composed around 2,100 BC, records the establishment of kingship at Eridu, founded circa 5,400 BC. The Sumerian city-states remained politically fragmented until Sargon of Akkad (2,334–2,279 BC) unified the region, forming the Akkadian Empire.
Oral traditions preserved Sumerian religious beliefs until they were written down in texts such as "The Epic of Gilgamesh" (2100–1200 BC). Sumer and neighboring cultures were predominantly polytheistic, with a pantheon of deities influencing all aspects of life. Notably, Canaan, a region in the Near East, was home to various Semitic-speaking civilizations whose beliefs intersected with the Sumerians.
El, a deity prominent in West Semitic mythology, was revered as "The Bull" and "Creator of Heaven and Earth." Over time, linguistic changes and cultural shifts led to the blending of El with other deities like Yahweh. As stories were transmitted orally, natural distortions occurred, a phenomenon similar to the "telephone game." This process of evolution, translation, and retelling contributed to the gradual erasure and replacement of certain deities, thus initiating a "cancel culture" of its own.
Cancel culture can be traced back to three primary sources: Sumer, the Abrahamic religions, and Egypt. These cultures engaged in deliberate efforts to suppress or replace existing deities and religious practices.
Marduk, a Babylonian deity, sought to establish supremacy over other gods, as told in the "Enuma Elish." This tale describes how Marduk defeated the primordial goddess Tiamat, becoming the "sole creator" and erasing the roles of other deities like Enki and Enlil. The rise of Marduk’s cult coincided with Babylon's ascendancy, reflecting a deliberate attempt to centralize religious and political power.
Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) ruled around 1,349 – 1,353 BC and attempted to convert Egypt to monotheism, worshipping only Aten, the solar deity. Akhenaten's religious reforms included chiseling out the names and images of other gods from monuments. His son, Tutankhamun, reversed these changes, and later rulers excluded Akhenaten’s name from King’s Lists, effectively "canceling" him from history.
Abrahamic religions also engaged in cancel culture, particularly as monotheism emerged. Abraham, originally from Ur in Mesopotamia, introduced monolatry—worshipping one god while acknowledging others—which later evolved into monotheism. Sigmund Freud’s book "Moses and Monotheism" suggests that Moses’ teachings combined elements of the Aten cult with Yahweh worship. The biblical accounts of the Israelite conquest of Canaan, supported by the "Tel Amarna Letters," depict a period of religious conflict and transition, highlighting the suppression of older polytheistic beliefs.
In ancient Israel, Yahweh’s consort was the goddess Asherah. Evidence from the Temple at Tel Arad (900 – 600 BC) includes two incense altars and standing stones representing Yahweh and Asherah. Texts and archaeological finds, such as the Kuntillet Ajrud inscriptions, reference "Yahweh and his Asherah," indicating that Asherah was once acknowledged in worship. Biblical references to Asherah were later mistranslated as "grove," further erasing her from religious memory.
Asherah was a fertility goddess associated with Canaanite, Ugaritic, and Israelite religions. Her name, meaning "she who enriches," was often misrepresented in translations of the Bible. Her presence is indicated in artifacts such as terracotta figurines, inscriptions, and standing stones. The rise of patriarchal monotheism led to the systematic erasure of Asherah from religious practice and historical records.
Cancel culture is not a modern phenomenon but a historical process seen in ancient Sumer, Egypt, and Abrahamic traditions. Through political and religious shifts, dominant powers "canceled" deities, beliefs, and even historical figures to consolidate control. From Marduk’s dominance in Babylon to Akhenaten’s monotheistic reforms and the erasure of Asherah’s worship, history offers numerous examples of cancel culture shaping the religious and cultural landscape.
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