Greek Mysteries: The Archaelogy and Ritual of Ancient Greek Secret Cults
Written by an international team of acknowledged experts, this excellent book studies a wide range of contributions and showcases new research on the archaeology, ritual and history of Greek mystery cults.\ With a lack of written evidence that exists for the mysteries, archaeology has proved central to explaining their significance and this volume is key to understanding a phenomenon central to Greek religion and society.
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Mystery cults represent the spiritual attempts of the ancient Greeks to deal with their mortality. The phenomenon is by no means restricted to Greece, but it is in Greece that it found its most profound philosophical explanation and justification. Given the lack of written testimonia, we rely on archaeology in trying to decipher the secrets of those mysteric cults. In the last few years, research in ancient Greek mystery cults has made serious advances thanks to a number of new analytical studies and archaeological discoveries in sanctuaries where mysteric cults where practiced.This volume showcases the results of the new research by allowing scholars, and specialists the opportunity to present their work and to place their research with the general context of Greek mystery cults. Through its wide chronological range (from the Bronze Age to the Roman Imperial period) and broad geographical coverage (Greece and Greek Asia Minor), the book reconstructs the development of ideological and ritual practice over time and space. Although the major cults, such as Eleusis and Samothrace, figure prominently in such a volume, a conscious effort has been made to discuss in detail the strikingly large number of lesser mysteric cults and deities, in order to contribute to the understanding of Greek mystery cults as a whole.
List of illustrationsList of contributorsPrefaceNote on abbreviations and transliteration1Mycenaean religion at Eleusis: the architecture and stratigraphy of Megaron B12Festival and Mysteries: aspects of the Eleusinian Cult253Stages of initiation in the Eleusinian and Samothracian Mysteries504"In the Sanctuary of the Samothracian Gods": myth, politics, and mystery cult at Ilion795Evolutions of a mystery cult: the Theban Kabiroi1126Mystery cults in Arcadia1437Trophonius of Lebadea: mystery aspects of an oracular cult in Boeotia1698Landscapes of Dionysos and Elysian Fields1939Orphic Mysteries and Dionysiac ritual21810Lesser Mysteries - not less mysterious24111Concluding remarks263Index265
