Exploring the Sacred Landscape of the Ancient Peloponnese: Cults and Sacred Places

Exploring the Sacred Landscape of the Ancient Peloponnese traces the origins of the religious system of the Peloponnese to identify the factors behind its subsequent development from the Geometric to the Classical period. Which deities found favour in the Peloponnese? What factors lay behind local religious manifestations? What were their special attributes? How were the Olympian gods adapted within the context of previous religious systems and deities? Through a presentation of cult places, the deities worshipped, and the epithets used, the book explores preferences for particular deities and the reasons for this. The chthonian attributes of the deities are an important factor, and such attributes are further elucidated by the myths that accompany them. Reconstructing the ancient religious landscape and the political, economic and social context sheds light on how the cult places played their role and demonstrates how the primitive chthonian character of some deities survived over the years. Religious and political needs were combined, and a network of sacred places with significant prestige, authority and power was the result. Ancient Greece,Religion,Olympian Gods,Chthonian deities,Sacred Places,Sanctuaries,Topography,Peloponnese,Arcadia,Elis,Messenia,Laconia Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Page Preface Introduction Notes Part One Chapter 1. Arcadia Mythological – Historical background Catalogue of Arcadia i. Arcadian Sanctuaries that can be dated a. Sanctuaries found or excavated Lousoi Kalavryta Kyllene Pheneos Stymphalos Kontovazaina Thelpusa Orchomenos Mantineia Tripichi Tegea Pallantion Kaphyai Glanitsa Asea Area north of Asea Mount Mainalon Arachamites Methydrion Kollines Karyai Lykosoura Mount Lykaion Phigaleia Gortys Theisoa Alipheira Heraia Megalopolis b. Movable surface finds related to sanctuaries Pheneos Thelpusa Orchomenos Mantineia Tegea Asea Perivolia Ancient Trapezus Phigaleia Chrysovitsi Area south of Megalopolis c. Sacred dateable places known only from written sources Pheneos Area north of Megalopolis Megalopolis ii. Arcadian sanctuaries of questionable dating a. Sanctuaries found or excavated Thelpusa Lasta b. Movable surface finds related to sanctuaries Pheneos Kleitor Stymphalia Nestani Tripoli Tegea Aspela Mantineia Kaphyai Arvanitokerasia Ancient Trapezus c. Sacred places known only from written sources Kleitor Kynaitha Pheneos Psophis Thelpusa Alea Dimitsana Tegea Mantineia Kaphyai Lykosoura Phigaleia Alipheira Heraia Megalopolis Road from Megalopolis to Messene iii. The survival of ancient sanctuaries – Christian Era Chapter 2. Elis Mythological – Historical background Catalogue of Elis i. Elian sanctuaries that can be dated a. Sanctuaries found or excavated Olympia Kombothekra Hill of Prophet Elias Makrysia North bank of the Alpheios Epitalion Letrinoi Aspra Litharia Lepreon Prasidaki b. Movable surface finds related to sanctuaries Olympia Skillountia Makrysia Elis Platiana c. Sacred dateable places known only from written sources Olympia Phrixa iii. Elian sanctuaries of questionable date a. Sanctuaries found or excavated Makrysia b. Movable surface finds relating to sanctuaries Elis c. Sacred places known only from written sources Olympia Phrixa Irakleia Elis Kyllene Samiko Lepreon Makistos Minthe Boundaries of Arcadia-Elis iii. The survival of ancient sanctuaries – Christian Era Chapter 3. Messenia Mythological – Historical background Catalogue of Messenia i. Messenian sanctuaries that can be dated a. Sanctuaries found or excavated Mount Ithome Ithome/Messene Mila Ano Melpeia Aghios Floros Thouria/Hellenika Kalamata Area Aghios Andreas b. Movable surface finds related to sanctuaries Ithome/Messene Andania Kalamata Area Dimiova Pylos Area ii. Messenian sanctuaries of questionable dating a. Sanctuaries found or excavated Koroni b. Movable surface finds related to sanctuaries Koroni Aulon c. Sacred places known only from written sources Gerenia Kalamata area Petalidi Koroni Methone Pylos Kyparissia iii. The survival of ancient sanctuaries – Christian Era Chapter 4. Laconia Mythological – Historical background Catalogue of Laconia i. Laconian Sanctuaries that can be dated a. Sanctuaries found or excavated Sparta Amyklai Therapne Aphyssou Mount Taygetos Kastraki Apidia Kournou Tainaron Phoiniki b. Movable surface finds related to sanctuaries Sparta Amyklai Mount Taygetos Kosmas Gytheion Area Asopos Kotronas – Ancient Teuthrone Dichova Ano Poula Thalamai Kardamyle c. Sacred dateable places known only from written sources Sparta Asopos Maleas ii. Laconian sanctuaries of questionable dating a. Movable surface finds related to sanctuaries Glyppia Kyphanta Epidaurus Limera Gytheion Area Asopos Oitylon b. Sacred places known only from written sources Sparta Pellana Therapne Mount Taygetos Hermai Brasiai Geronthrai Zarakas Epidaurus Limera Boiai Itis Gytheion Asopos Las Mount Ilion Knakadion Hypsoi River Skyras Pyrrichos Kainepolis Leuktra Kardamyle Mount Kalathion Alagonia iii. The survival of ancient sanctuaries – Christian Era Part Two Chapter 5. Special Characteristics Special characteristics of cult buildings i. Relation to nature a. Sanctuaries in relation to water b. Sacred groves and trees ii. Functions of sanctuaries a. Sanctuaries as asylum places b. Healing places c. Oracles Rituals in cult places related to the chthonian cults, and Olympian cults with mixed characteristics i. Festivals ii. Special sacrifices iii. Games iv. Special features a. Use of masks during the cult b. Cult dances Functions of chthonian nature in sanctuaries i. Cenotaphs for mythical/heroic figures ii. Sanctuaries above tombs iii. Psychopompeia iv. Eschara – Places of purification v. Ash altars vi. Stone benches vii. Cults in caves and fissures viii. Side doors in sanctuaries ix. Abaton/adyton x. Restrictions on entering the sanctuary xi. Performance of mystical rituals – Mysteries xii. Perpetual fire xiii. Orgies xiv. Divine commands and punishments for violations xv. Human sacrifices xvi. General observations Chapter 6. Deities Worshipped Catalogue of Deities i. Chthonian deities Despoina Eurynome Hades – Plouto – Zeus with chthonian attributes ii. Secondary and local deities Asclepius Cronus Demeter and Persephone/Kore (Great Goddesses) Persephone/Kore Mother of the Gods – Great Mother – Rhea Eileithyia Kouretes Sosipolis Diktynna Eros – Anteros Hyacinthus Silenus Leto Thetis Tyche – Moirai Nymphs Charites Muses Ino – Leukothea Pan Dryops iii. Personifications of the elements of nature Erymanthos Helios Pamisos The Wind Boreas iv. Heroic and mythological figures Achilles The Dioskouroi Helen – Menelaus Heracles Cassandra/Alexandra – Agamemnon Odysseus – Penelope Orestes Pelops – Hippodameia Telephus Arsinoe Ilaeira and Phoebe Messene Anonymous Hero Evandros Hipposthenes Lycourgos Machaon Maron and Alpheios Myiagros/Myacoris Nikomachos and Gorgasos Pallas v. Chthonian deities that evolved into Olympian Gods Chthonian Aphrodite Chthonian Athena Chtonian Artemis – Potnia Theron Chthonian Demeter Chthonian Dionysus Chthonian Hermes Chthonian Poseidon vi. Older deities assimilated into later Olympian Gods Alea – Athena Chamyne – Demeter Kidaria – Demeter Orthia – Artemis Karneios – Apollo Maleatas – Apollo vi. Olympian deities Zeus Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Dionysus Hera Hermes Poseidon Observations on the chthonian characteristics of chthonian or Olympian deities with mixed attributes Chapter 7. Religious, Economic and Social Context Religious remarks i. Observations on the cult places ii. Notes on the substance of the deities worshipped a. Deities b. Epithets c. Preferred deities d. Correlations of worshipped figures to other regions Economic observations i. Economic growth ii. Inter-communication of cult places and external contacts Arcadia Elis Messenia Laconia Summary Social framework i. Correlation of the religious, social, and political life of sanctuaries a. Countryside sanctuaries 1. Suburban sanctuaries 2. Extraurban sanctuaries 3. Neutral border sanctuaries Conclusions b. City Sanctuaries Conclusions General observations A comparative presentation of the main cult places of the Peloponnese Epilogue Tables Maps Bibliography