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RITUAL AND SANTUARY Ancient Greek Religion REL 320A So, who was the Pharmakos? Iphigeneia What elements of Sacrifice do you see on this slide? Describe this scene. Another View Travel to This Site http://163.1.48.106/Test/Vases/ASP/ViewD etails2.asp?Vnum=4319&userID=183&use rName=Guest+on+67%2E74%2E145%2E 237 Chthonic Pit and Altar The Diasia A great festival celebrated at Athens, without the walls of the city, in honour of Zeus, surnamed Meilichios (mild). The whole people took part in it, and the wealthier citizens offered victims (hiereia), while the poorer classes burned such incense as their country furnished (thumata epichôria). The Diasia took place in the latter half of the month of Anthesterion, with feasting, and was, like most other festivals, accompanied by a fair. Zeus Meilichois (from the Peiraeus, now in Berlin Museum) Zeus Meilichois (relief from Boeotia) Anthesteria Athenian festival in honor of Dionysus, held during the month of Anthesterion (Feb.–Mar.) to celebrate the beginning of spring and the maturing of the wine stored at the previous vintage. It lasted three days and included libations to the god from newly opened casks, popular merrymaking, a secret ceremony of marriage between Dionysus and the wife of the king, and underworld rites. Day 1- Pithoigia On this day, the pithoi were opened for the first time, and the new wine tasted, after proper mixing. The first mixed wine would be offered to the gods, in particular to the god Dionysos. Afterwards, men could taste this season's wine. This was done after the libation and a prayer that the wine would be beneficial to them for all its uses. The rest of the day is believed to have been spent drinking. Day 2- Feast of the Choes A chous was a vessel measuring approximately 3.2 liters, obviously it lent its name to the day. Each adult had his own, and miniature versions were given to children, as everyone over the age of three participated in the festivities. The Choes was one of life's rites of passage, along with birth, puberty, marriage, etc. Three year olds experiencing their first Choes were lavished with gifts of chous and crowned with flowers. Day 2- Feast of the Choes This was a day of grand drinking, both public and private, and drinking contests were held in both spheres. While it may seem to be a loud, fun ceremony, the reality was that the wine was consumed in silence. This dates back to the legend of Orestes, who, infected with blood guilt, sought sanctuary in Athens. It happened to be at the time of the Anthesteria. The king had to protect his people from the curse of the blood-guilt, but he also did not want to be rude and exclude Orestes from the celebration. To solve the problem, the two parties drank separately and in silence, and thus a tradition was begun. At the end of the drinking, the last of the wine from each choes was poured as a libation to Dionysus. Day 3- Chytrai This day has a very somber tone, as it was dedicated to the god Hermes and to the dead. A meal was prepared strictly as an offering to appease the dead. The Ancient Greeks believed that on this day, the soul's of the dead would return to the land of the living. In order protect themselves from the dead, they closed all the sanctuaries and took other actions they believed would keep these spirits away. When the day was over, the men of each house would go around shouting " 'Get out, Goblins (Keres), the Anthesteria is over!' " Mycenaean funeral ritual