AncientGreekRituals

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Definitionofritual:practiceassociatedwitculturallysignificantevent Ex:prayer,sacrifice,wedding,funeral Purposeofrituals:toorganizespace,timeandsocialrelations Ritualsvs.Dogma:Greekreligionmeantactionratherthanstudy Emphasisontradition,absenceofsacredtexts Pervasiveness:ritualspracticebyallmembersofsociety Ritualsaccompanymostdailyactivities Diversityofrituals:variation Withincommunities(age,gender,socialstatus) Amongcommunities(regional,PanHellenic) MainritualofancientGreekreligion:sacrifice Varietyofforms:bloodless(burnt,poured)animal(ox,pigetc) Basicscheme:quidproquo(somethinginexchangeforsomething) o Feedbackloopconnectinggodstohumans Bloodlesssacrifice Burntofferingsfoodstuffsforgods,thedead Bread,incense,harvest(grain,spices,etc.),firstfruits(aparchai) Liquidofferings(libations,spondai):edibleliquidpouredontheground Wine,honey,water,milk,oil(usuallyolive) Dailyoccasions(meals,journeys) o Pervasivenessofritual:senseofdivinepresencefear Symposium(drinkingparty) Offeringspouredouttodead(choai) Ex: BlackDemeterinArkadia Thesmoporia:AthenianDemeterfestival o 334/3BCEinscriptionfromAtticdemet(district) o femaleofficialsandpriestssharedwithprovidingoffering burntofferings:barley,wheat,meal,pigs,oilseeds liquidofferings:wine,oilhoney,cheese publicexpense animalsacrifice purposes civicbondingsharedkillingcomparedhunterculture)

communicationwithsupernatural mainsourceofnonfishmeatindiet(barbecueasworship)

contexts domestic:performedbyheadofhousehold civic:festivals,politicalevents(treaties,armiesleavingforwar, etc.) personnel mageiros:killsthevictim(comparekosherbutcher) hiereus,hiereia:priest,priestessoverseeingsacrifice victims kindsexpense:correspondswithprominenceofrites o sheep,piglet,lamb,goad,cattlespecialfeatures o ex:sacrificesatAtticdemeofThorikos specificvictimsforgods(Zeussheep,Poseidonlamb etc) termsdescribingsacrificialrituals thuein:toburnforthegods thusia:actofburningforthegods,sacrifice altar(bomos,bema):placeforsacrifice sacrificialimplements:weapon(machaira)inbasket(kiste) civic(polis)sacrifice ritualpurity abstentions:sex,menstruation,contactwithcorpse,etc. cleaning(lustration) procession:worshippersparadetosacrificebearingsacredimplements prayers:sacredspeech(meter) slaughter comedyofinnocence:willingvictimdisplacementofguilt mocktrialwithconvictionofsacrificialknife apportionment partstogod(burned),priests,temple(sold),worshippers (barbecue) inscriptionsfromromanperiodGreekcityinAsiaMinor definesreligiousdutiesofcivicofficials burntofferingsincenseandherbs

sacrificeandapportionment(head,tongue,skinforgods) finesforfailuretocarryoutduties

prayerforRomanoverlords(religionasimperialism) sacrifices:myths explanatorymyths(aitia,etiology) Prometheus(Hesiodicepic:Theogony,Worksanddays) st Zeusvs.Prometheus(1 sacrifice=beginningofhumancondition) LeavinggardenofEden:allmale:nokilling o Sacrificebringswomenandneedforthem(fertility) Herakles(nooneauthoritativeversionofhisstory) Sacrificeasculturemyths(definescivilization) WanderingHeraklesintroducessacrifice,peoplesinstitutionalizeit Sacrificeofdomesticanimalconnectssacrificewithagriculture Suppressionofviolenceprerequisiteforpolis

9/14/20072:55:00PM

9/14/20072:55:00PM