Greek Sanctuaries Flashcards
What is a Greek sanctuary?
A sacred space serving as a point of contact between humans and deities, playing roles in religious, political, social, and economic contexts.
Greek sanctuaries are multidimensional institutions that cater to the needs of communities and the Greek city-state.
What is a temenos?
A demarcated sacred area set apart from the profane world, marking the boundary of the sanctuary.
The temenos can be marked by walls, natural elements, or symbolic markers.
What is the function of an altar in a Greek sanctuary?
It serves as the indispensable point of contact with the divine, used for offerings such as incense and animal sacrifices.
Types of altars include bomos, eschara, and bothros.
True or False: Every Greek sanctuary includes a temple.
False.
While often present, a temple is not a necessary component of every sanctuary.
What role do ritual actions play in sanctuaries?
They facilitate communication between humans and gods, emphasizing communal and religious unity.
Rituals can include purification, initiation, and sacrifices.
What is asylia in the context of Greek sanctuaries?
The concept of inviolability that guarantees safe conduct for individuals crossing city-state boundaries.
It provides refuge for suppliants seeking protection.
List three cultural significances of Greek sanctuaries.
- Strengthening communal identity
- Providing spaces for social gatherings
- Fostering cultural exchange
Festivals and competitions held at sanctuaries reinforce social bonds.
How do sanctuaries function as economic hubs?
They centralize wealth and manage resources for communal use, often serving as sites of trade and commerce.
Sanctuaries accumulate wealth through donations, rents, and taxes.
What political messages can be conveyed through Greek sanctuaries?
They showcase the power and unity of the community through monumental altars and sacrifices.
Temples can serve as political statements as well.
What are urban sanctuaries?
Sanctuaries located within city walls that are closely tied to the identity and governance of the city.
Examples include the Acropolis in Athens.
What distinguishes extra-urban sanctuaries from urban ones?
They are located outside city walls but near major roads, serving local and territorial needs.
Examples include The Heraion of Samos and Heraion of Argos.
Fill in the blank: Panhellenic sanctuaries such as Delphi and Olympia _______.
played roles in unifying Greeks across city-states.
They served as venues for political meetings and cultural events.
Describe the evolution of Greek sanctuaries.
They evolved from simple altars to monumental complexes by the 7th-6th centuries BC.
Architectural elements developed alongside the economic and political growth of poleis.
How did the placement of sanctuaries change over time?
Sanctuaries could change from border sanctuaries to extramural or urban sanctuaries based on community needs.
Their size and relationship to surrounding settlements could also evolve.
What are some types of structures found in Greek sanctuaries?
- Stoas
- Treasuries
- Fountains
- Hestiatoria
- Perirranterion
These structures serve various social, political, and religious functions.
True or False: The altar is considered a secondary structure in a Greek sanctuary.
False.
The altar is the sine qua non, essential for the sanctuary’s function.
What is the significance of communal identity in Greek sanctuaries?
They reinforce collective identity and social bonds through rituals and festivals.
Sanctuaries serve as venues for artistic and athletic competitions.
What is the role of sanctuaries in political life?
They act as markers of territory and demonstrate control over regions, influencing local politics.
Monumental structures within sanctuaries can convey political unity.
What are rural sanctuaries?
Sanctuaries located in the countryside, often near natural features, for worship and offerings.
Eleusis is a notable example.
What is the defining characteristic of a Greek sanctuary?
A Greek sanctuary is a sacred space centered around an altar.
What are the compulsory elements of a Greek sanctuary?
The compulsory elements include the temenos and the altar.
What is a temenos?
A temenos is a demarcated sacred area set apart from the profane world.
What is the role of the altar in a Greek sanctuary?
The altar is the essential element and the indispensable point of contact with the divine.
What are the complementary elements of a Greek sanctuary?
Complementary elements may include temples, propylon, stoa, treasuries, fountains, storage spaces, hestiatorion, sacred ways, perirranterion, non-built areas, and sacred groves.