Religion

Question 1

Why is it difficult to study religion in early EIA? (2)

Answer 1

Evidence is lacking
Variation across the evidence that we do have

Question 2

What is the general pattern of early EIA religious practice that still makes study difficult?

Answer 2

Continuity from Mycenaean cult
This is not well understood

Question 3

What appears to be true from settlement arrangements abt sacred spaces?
Material evidence in these sacred spaces?

Answer 3

They were delineated within the community space
There was little material activity in these urban spaces

Question 4

Where does Mazarakis Ainian argue cult activity took place? With what evidence?

Answer 4

ruler dwellings
Votive items and sacrificial remains being found in large, prominently located houses (Nichoria Unit VI-1)

Question 5

What was a type of site that saw much religious activity?

Answer 5

Rural sanctuaries with solely religious functions divorced from any specific community

Question 6

Around when does the evidence for religious activities increase in IA?

Answer 6

8th and 9th centuries

Question 7

What material for votives become more popular in 9th-8th cents especially in a small number of sancts?

Answer 7

bronze

Question 8

What item was commonly made from clay but sometimes of more expensive materials? What can this tell us about dedicator?

Answer 8

figurines
More wealthy, more interested in status or keen to express it

Question 9

Around when did Panhellenic sites start to grow into this identity more / become more archaeologically visible?
What is it thought to coincide with?

Answer 9

8th - 7th centuries
emergence of the polis

Question 10

What kind of dedicators were more common at the early stage of Panhellenic sites than they may have been later? Evidence?

Answer 10

Those from the local community
Materials being used deriving from local sources

Question 11

What are the categories of evidence for ritual and cult practice? (6)

Answer 11

Animal sacrifice
Food offerings
Liquid offerings
Ritual dining
Foundation sacrifices
Cult images and votive offerings

Question 12

Which temple does Hdt describe as the largest G one of his time?

Answer 12

Heraion at Samos

Question 13

What was development of Heraion temples?

Answer 13

Hekatompedon: c8th cent BCE; c33m length.
Rhoikos T: completed c560 BCE, colossal size, ionic order
Late Archaic T: colossal – 55.2 x 108.6m; 155 columns in total, one of which has been preserved and stands alone in remains; building never finished despite successive construction from late arch to R period.

Question 14

What was typical configuration of 8th cent Temples?

Answer 14

long and narrow

Question 15

What was a key indication of a religious function as to EIA buildings?

Answer 15

altar nearby or orientation towards an altar

Question 16

What was the practical function of treasuries? When did these emerge in greek sancts?

Answer 16

protect the votive dedications of precious materials
AR period

Question 17

From EIA/AR, what appears to have been the main practical function of the main T of a sanctuary?

Answer 17

protect and display cult image of subject deity

Question 18

What were the main buildings in the Heraion at Samos and origin date? Poss functions?

Answer 18

North Building, 6th cent, poss large treasury temple.
South Building, 6th cent, poss smaller treasury temples.
Heraion T, AR iteration 6th cent, housed cult statue.
SE small temple-like buildings, AR, some treasuires and some poss worship places (all orientated towards main altar.

Question 19

What was duality as to G reeligious homogenuity from Homeric period at least?

Answer 19

All Greeks recognised Olympian Gods
BUT local derivations of these gods and practices meant the manifestation of religion differed to a significant extent from place to place

Question 20

How is religious panhellenism attested in archaeological record?

Answer 20

Consistency across votives in sanctuaries geographically separated but united by worship of same deity.
Dedication to panhellenic sanctuary

Question 21

What were the causes of variation between deities and ritual practices across sanctuaries/temples?

Answer 21

local variation in relations to the deities (e.g. founding stories)
geographical limits/features impacting how worship happened
groups that were involved - non-greek engagement, G colonies

Question 22

What is a particular unique set of votives from Heraion? Example?

Answer 22

Wooden material votives.
wooden boats, statuettes, plain bowls and plates, furniture

Question 23

What was exceptional abt dedicatory practices to Heraion at Samos? Signif?

Answer 23

often foreign origins: Egypt, Levant (Iran, Assyria, Phoenicia), Babylonia, Cyprus
From 7th cent, Samos had string trade connections w Eastern communities - traders bringing them back, visitors bringing items w them

Question 24

How come impression of votive dedications displayed at Samian Heraion would have been signif?

Answer 24

early AR (7th-6th cents) setting was modest w simple temple and altar and only a few other sanctuary buildings

Question 25

What wider artistic impact could foreign votives have had 7th-6th cents in G sanctuaries?

Answer 25

influenced Greek art development from AR into Classical period

Question 26

Evidence of continuity from Mycenaean religion? Limitation?

Answer 26

G pantheon, minus Apollo, are referenced in Linear B tablets
uncertain abt the nature of their roles/symbolism - could have changed considerably

Question 27

What are the main two points as to Mazarakis Ainian’s religion theory?

Answer 27

-‘big men’ of communities became the religious leaders, or vice versa
-houses of these leaders also acted as cult buildings

Question 28

Cult site in Lokri? Signif suggested by sources and modern theory?

Answer 28

Kalapodi - open air sanct from LBA; temples from at least 10th cent (krater found in floor) and offering platforms; south temple had paintings of LG-AR p.
poss sanct of Apollo at Abai - this city is referred to in literature but hasn’t been archaeologically attested

Question 29

Date of early activity at Isthmia? Cult there?

Answer 29

pottery dedications from 10th cent
EIA Poseidon worship

Question 30

Early evidence of cult activity at Olympia?

Answer 30

altar in use from 11th cent w remains of sacrifices and ceramic offerings
firstly, modest dedications, then figurines, then bronze figurines and tripods

Question 31

Early evidence of cult activity at Delphi?

Answer 31

bronze figurines etc dedications from 8th/7th cents but settlement there likely from Mycenaean period

Question 32

Early evidence of cult activity on acrop of Athens?

Answer 32

LG dedications of bronzes found, and buildings although temple function uncertain.

Question 33

When and what was first temple made of stone? Signif?

Answer 33

T of Artemis, Corcyra c600 BCE
formalisation of sanctuary architecture and vocabulary