Bronze Age Eleusis and the Origins of the Eleusinian Mysteries

For More Than One Thousand Years, People From Every Corner Of The Greco-roman World Sought The Hope For A Blessed Afterlife Through Initiation Into The Mysteries Of Demeter And Kore At Eleusis. In Antiquity Itself And In Our Memory Of Antiquity, The Eleusinian Mysteries Stand Out As The Oldest And Most Venerable Mystery Cult. Despite The Tremendous Popularity Of The Eleusinian Mysteries, Their Origins Are Unknown. Because They Are Lost In An Era Without Written Records, They Can Only Be Reconstructed With The Help Of Archaeology. This Book Provides A Much Needed Synthesis Of The Archaeology Of Eleusis During The Bronze Age And Reconstructs The Formation And Early Development Of The Eleusinian Mysteries. The Discussion Of The Origins Of The Eleusinian Mysteries Is Complemented With Discussions Of The Theology Of Demeter And An Update On The State Of Research In The Archaeology Of Eleusis From The Bronze Age To The End Of Antiquity-- Part I. Myth And Cult -- 1. Myths And Legends -- 2. The Theology Of Demeter At Eleusis -- Part Ii. The Site And Its Exploration -- 3. Landscape And Environment -- 4. The Exploration Of Eleusis -- Part Iii. The Archaeology And Monuments Of Eleusis -- 5. Early Bronze Age -- 6. Middle Bronze Age -- 7. Early Mycenaean -- 8. The Period Of The Palaces (lh Iiia2 To Lh Iiib) -- 9. The Post-palatial Period -- 10. The Post-bronze Age History Of The Sanctuary -- Part Iv. The Origins And Early Development Of The Eleusinian Mysteries -- 11. Theories About The Origins Of The Mysteries -- 12. The Origins And Early Development Of The Eleusinian Mysteries. Michael B. Cosmopoulos. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Half title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Epigraph 8 Contents 9 List of Figures 13 Preface 17 Abbreviations (Other than Bibliographic) 19 Introduction 21 Part I Myth and Cult 25 1 Myths and Legends 27 Foundation Myths 27 The Rape of Persephone and the Homeric Hymn 28 Wars with Athens and the Synoecism 30 The Seven against Thebes 31 2 The Theology of Demeter at Eleusis 32 Agricultural Fertility Festivals 32 The Eleusinian Mysteries 34 Definitions, 34 Priests and Officials, 36 Preliminary Initiation, 37 The Greater Mysteries, 37 The Kykeon, 39 Telete and Epopteia 41 Part II The Site and Its Exploration 45 3 Landscape and Environment 47 Topography and Geology 48 Water, Climate, Land Use 50 The Eleusinian Limestone 52 4 The Exploration of Eleusis 54 Early Travelers 54 Later Travelers and the Dilettanti Expeditions 1765-1860 55 Systematic Excavations, 1882-1997 57 Publication of Material from Eleusis 59 Part III The Archaeology and Monuments of Eleusis 61 5 Early Bronze Age 63 6 Middle Bronze Age 68 Stratigraphy and Architecture 68 Burials 71 Pottery 78 Figurines 87 Metal, Stone, Bone Tools 88 Economic Organization 89 Subsistence 89 Trade 89 Production 92 Social and Political Organization 94 Religion and Ritual 95 The Transition to Mycenaean 97 7 Early Mycenaean 98 Stratigraphy and Architecture 98 Burials 113 Pottery 114 Painted Plaster 122 Economic Organization 123 Social and Political Organization 124 Religion 125 8 The Period of the Palaces 127 Stratigraphy and Architecture 127 Burials 136 Pottery 137 Figurines 140 Spindle Whorls and Loomweights 140 Metal 142 Chipped and Stone Tools 142 Economic Organization 142 The Inscribed Stirrup Jar 143 Social and Political Organization 143 Religion 145 9 The Post-Palatial Period 147 Stratigraphy and Architecture 147 Burials 148 Pottery 148 10 The Post-Bronze Age History of the Sanctuary 152 The Protogeomeric and Geometric Periods 152 The Archaic Period 159 The Classical Period 162 The Hellenistic Period 167 The Roman Period 167 The End of the Sanctuary 171 Part IV The Origins and Early Development of the Eleusinian Mysteries 173 11 Theories about the Origins of the Mysteries 175 Diffusionist Theories 175 Indigenous Development Theories 177 12 The Origins and Early Development of the Eleusinian Mysteries 180 Mycenaean Cult 180 Protogeometric and Geometric Cults 181 The Sanctification of Megaron B 182 The Addition of the Soteriological Element 184 Conclusion: Stages in the Formation of the Eleusinian Mysteries 185 Chronological Table 187 Notes 189 Bibliography 215 Index 243