religion Flashcards
arrephoroi
young girls selected to live on the acropolis that year
set up the loom
ergastinai
a group of experienced athenian women weavers
what day is the most important day in the great panathenaia
day 6 : all-night torch race,procession and sacrifice
what was embroidered on the peplos
gigantomachy
day one of the thesmorphia and what was symbolic about it
worshippers set up temporary shelters near the phyx(where athenian assembly met)
significant as women symbolically took over the city
day 2 of thesmophoria
worshippers fast and sat on the ground,covering themselves in ashes which was an act of mourning,re-enacting Demeter’s grief after losing her daughter
day 3 of thesmophoria
worshippers prayed for blessings related to fertility-for children,future families and bountiful crops
what would happen to piglets before and during the Thesmophoria
piglets would be cast down into a chasm and their decomposed remains were retrieved during the festival.
chasm represented the underworld and the piglets represented persephone journey into the dark and back into the light
what would happen to the piglets remains in the thesmophoria
remains would be mixed with corn seed and placed on the altar and were later scattered to ensure a good harvest
how was patricia pudicitia worshipped
the cult worshipped the goddess in a shrine in the forum boarium
cult was dedicated to the personification of female virtue
only for noble,univirae women
why were univirae the only women allowed to worship the goddess
to remind politicians and business man in the FB of the power of feminine virtue.
They hand only been married once and were seen as chaste
what kind of cult was the thesmophoria
a mystery cult
who was bona dea
earth and fertility goddess referred to as fauna
what was the festival of bona dea
an annual ritual celebrates on May 1 in the middle of festival Flora
ritual took place in private in the house of a consul’s wife or mother
no men allowed
ritual presided over by vestal virgins and the woman of the house
blood sacrifice of a piglet
day one of athenian preparation of the dead
Who:direct female relative and/or women over 60
Where:household of the deceased
How:Wash body,dress wounds,anoint with perfume,clothed in white shroud,garlanded with flowers,coin in mouth
day 2 of athenian preparation of the dead
What: A wake was held - the body laid out in the house & a feast is held in their honour. Women of the house engage in exaggerated ritual mourning.
Where: Deceased person’s house.
Who: Friends & relatives of the deceased (men and women), sometimes professional mourners.
day three of athenian preparation for the dead
What: body carried in procession (ekphora) with sad music and women singing mourning songs. Body buried, sometimes with grave goods.
Libations poured (to “feed” the shade), often an animal sacrifice was made (meat eaten at home afterwards - a second feast).
Where: procession from house to burial site
Who: friends & relatives of the deceased (men and women), sometimes professional mourners.
