Meet a scary demon named Humbaba in the 26th installment of the 41-episode Crash Course World Mythology series. Scholars learn about The Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian poem. Viewers also consider how the epic relates to Joseph Campbell's theory of the hero's journey.

Concepts

myths, mythology, heroes, ancient sumeria, ancient mesopotamia, mesopotamia, epic poetry

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Have pupils read excerpts from a modern translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh 
• Invite groups to research and share about an aspect of ancient Mesopotamian life 

Classroom Considerations

• Mentions rape and includes some violent content 

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Useful pictures and graphics help viewers understand the content
  
• Contains humor, puns, and sarcasm to keep it interesting
  

Cons

• None