Lesson 3- Libations and votive offerings

Question 1

what are Chthonic deities?

Answer 1

deities of the underworld

Question 2

what is a megaron?

Answer 2

an underworld chamber for ritual offering

Question 3

What were libations?

Answer 3

In a ritual context, the Ancient Greeks poured water, wine, milk and honey honouring the gods, heroes or even the dead and asking for their favour in return

Question 4

what liquids were used in a libation?

Answer 4

water, wine, milk and honey

Question 5

when might libations take place?

Answer 5

Libations were poured in public and private contexts, often to mark beginnings and endings of a day, banquet or the sacrifice itself. During travels, libations were poured on the occasion of safe arrivals on land

Question 6

what happened during a libation?

Answer 6

In most cases, libations were poured out of a wine-jug into a libation bowl and from there onto the altar or the ground. Special libations of a larger scale were poured for the dead and chthonic or nature deities (nymphs, muses) often directly into grave vessels or the earth.

Question 7

what did Greeks also do other than libations?

Answer 7

Bury sacrificial victims or objects of importance e.g in the Thesmophoria, women ritually buried the piglets in order to excavate the remains the following year to be used as a fertilising agent on the Athenian fields

Question 8

why were there annual ritual burials?

Answer 8

Greek sanctuaries were overcrowded with votive offerings including jewelry, statues,and inscriptions. This led to clearances of the sanctuaries and the objects were either stored in treasuries or buried ritually, depending on size and importance

Question 9

what were votive offerings used for?

Answer 9

They marked the reciprocal relationship between mortals and immortals-the votive offerings were made either as thanks or for something in return. (e.g thanking a god for support during childbirth, curing an illness, or helpful intervention) They could also be used to punctuate a person’s life stages

Question 10

Give examples of what votive offerings were given to mark an individuals life stages:

Answer 10

• A child becoming an Adolescence- offered toys or locks from their first haircut
  -A craftsman- may offer their tools at retirement
  -A prize winner or successful warrior- may offer their prizes or weapons that helped them achieve their victory
  -Thermistocles after his successful campaign against the persians- offered an inscription with his name on (richer individuals could afford to bore an inscription with their name on)