Question

According to van der Linden, some ancient peoples believed that our dreams forecast our futures and connected us with gods. Which civilizations or cultures, among the following, held such beliefs?

a) Ancient Egyptians
b) Aztecs of Mesoamerica
c) Ancient Chinese
d) Babylonians of Mesopotamia

Answer 1

Ancient Egyptians, Aztecs of Mesoamerica, and Babylonians of Mesopotamia held beliefs that dreams could forecast futures and connect them with the gods, with dreams being seen as messages from deities or as insights into divine will.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the ancient civilizations that believed dreams could forecast the future and connect with the gods, the following are noted for holding such beliefs:

• Ancient Egyptians, who practiced incubation in temples and also had dream interpreters, seeing dreams as messages from deities.
• Aztecs of Mesoamerica, where omens and premonitions, including dreams, played a significant role in understanding the will of the gods, evidenced by the accounts of Moctezuma's foretellings prior to the Spanish conquest.
• Babylonians of Mesopotamia, who, with their system of astrology that began over two and a half millennia ago, believed the motions of heavenly bodies influenced the fates of individuals and nations, indicating a deep connection between their interpretation of dreams and celestial events as divine messages.

These cultures regarded dreams as important spiritual tools that were used to understand and seek favor from the divine.