Thesmophoria, by Francis Davis Millet, 1894-1897
Thesmophoria, in Greek religion, ancient festival held in honour of Demeter Thesmophoros & celebrated by women in many parts of the Greek world. The meaning of the name Demeter Thesmophoros still remains a matter of disagreement, although a possible translation is “bringer of treasure or wealth,” an obsolete sense of thesmos. Or, the name Thesmophoria is perhaps the primary one, from which the epithet of the goddess was derived; it means “the carrying of things laid down.”
The celebrants were free women who seem to have been married. They observed chastity for several days & abstained from certain foods. The festival lasted three days, in Attica it was lengthened to five. The original days were Pyanopsion (October) 12–14 and were called respectively anodos (or kathodos), nēsteia, and kalligeneia. A great part of the Thesmophoria was carried out by torchlight and was accompanied by ceremonial coarse abuse among the women, a common means of promoting fertility.
Thesmophoria, in Greek religion, ancient festival held in honour of Demeter Thesmophoros & celebrated by women in many parts of the Greek world. The meaning of the name Demeter Thesmophoros still remains a matter of disagreement, although a possible translation is “bringer of treasure or wealth,” an obsolete sense of thesmos. Or, the name Thesmophoria is perhaps the primary one, from which the epithet of the goddess was derived; it means “the carrying of things laid down.”
The celebrants were free women who seem to have been married. They observed chastity for several days & abstained from certain foods. The festival lasted three days, in Attica it was lengthened to five. The original days were Pyanopsion (October) 12–14 and were called respectively anodos (or kathodos), nēsteia, and kalligeneia. A great part of the Thesmophoria was carried out by torchlight and was accompanied by ceremonial coarse abuse among the women, a common means of promoting fertility.
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Ancient Karthaia, Kea island, Greece.
Karthaia was one of the four ancient Greek city-states on the island of Ceos (today Kea or Tzia) in the Cyclades. It was located on the southeastern coast of the island.
The site was inhabited continuously for c. 1,300 years, approximately from the 8th century BC (Geometric period) till the 6th century AD. From that time on Karthaia remained abandoned. The ruins of the acropolis, town-centre and fortifications of ancient Karthaia have been preserved for centuries on the Aspri Vigla hills, Pindar’s “narrow ridge of land“.
Karthaia was one of the four ancient Greek city-states on the island of Ceos (today Kea or Tzia) in the Cyclades. It was located on the southeastern coast of the island.
The site was inhabited continuously for c. 1,300 years, approximately from the 8th century BC (Geometric period) till the 6th century AD. From that time on Karthaia remained abandoned. The ruins of the acropolis, town-centre and fortifications of ancient Karthaia have been preserved for centuries on the Aspri Vigla hills, Pindar’s “narrow ridge of land“.
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Greek South Italian terracotta hydria (water jar), ca. 350–320 BC.
When the Greeks established settlements along the coastlines of southern Italy & Sicily beginning in the 1st half of the 8th century BC, they forged complex relationships with the indigenous people of the region that involved intermarriage, trade & warfare. Representations of these Italic peoples is one of the unique iconographic themes that appear on the red-figure pottery produced by Greeks living in Italy, made between ca. 440-290 BC. Vases like this one, found exclusively in the cemeteries of indigenous communities in the regions of Campania & Apulia were marketed to the Italic elite serving as diplomatic gifts.
When the Greeks established settlements along the coastlines of southern Italy & Sicily beginning in the 1st half of the 8th century BC, they forged complex relationships with the indigenous people of the region that involved intermarriage, trade & warfare. Representations of these Italic peoples is one of the unique iconographic themes that appear on the red-figure pottery produced by Greeks living in Italy, made between ca. 440-290 BC. Vases like this one, found exclusively in the cemeteries of indigenous communities in the regions of Campania & Apulia were marketed to the Italic elite serving as diplomatic gifts.
Greek South Italian wall painting, mid-4th century BC.
The return of victorious soldiers, welcomed by their female relatives bearing drinking vessels and offering bowls, are common in scenes of Italic figures on South Italian vases. Similar imagery appears on the Italic painted tombs of Paestum and Campania, like that in this image.
The return of victorious soldiers, welcomed by their female relatives bearing drinking vessels and offering bowls, are common in scenes of Italic figures on South Italian vases. Similar imagery appears on the Italic painted tombs of Paestum and Campania, like that in this image.
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Forwarded from Architecture of the Byzantine world (☦️Saint Apu☦️)
Late antique/early byzantine Coptic capitals in Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum.
A Byzantine key, 5th century (Late Antique), bronze.
This type of key, commonly used during the Byzantine period, could be easily carried, an important feature at a time when clothes had no pockets. The hoop of the key fits like a finger ring, and the short barrel can be folded into the palm of the hand. Unlike the teeth on modern keys, the slotted holes on this example are purely decorative, while the small crosses were intended to protect the owner's possessions.
This type of key, commonly used during the Byzantine period, could be easily carried, an important feature at a time when clothes had no pockets. The hoop of the key fits like a finger ring, and the short barrel can be folded into the palm of the hand. Unlike the teeth on modern keys, the slotted holes on this example are purely decorative, while the small crosses were intended to protect the owner's possessions.
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Temple of Artemis, Brauron, Attica, Greece.
The temple of Artemis at Vravrona is a Doric temple built in the first half of 5th century BC at the site of an older temple (6th c. BC) destroyed by the Persians and it was the center of worship at the sanctuary. The cult statue of the goddess stood in the cella of the temple and a festival every four year the Brauronia was held in honour of the goddess. The possession of worshippers started from the sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia on Acropolis of Athens and arrived at the sanctuary of Brauron.
During the ritual of arkteia, girls from renowned families of Athens stayed in the sanctuary in order to be prepared for marriage and motherhood.
The temple of Artemis at Vravrona is a Doric temple built in the first half of 5th century BC at the site of an older temple (6th c. BC) destroyed by the Persians and it was the center of worship at the sanctuary. The cult statue of the goddess stood in the cella of the temple and a festival every four year the Brauronia was held in honour of the goddess. The possession of worshippers started from the sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia on Acropolis of Athens and arrived at the sanctuary of Brauron.
During the ritual of arkteia, girls from renowned families of Athens stayed in the sanctuary in order to be prepared for marriage and motherhood.
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Greek terracotta column-krater, (bowl for mixing wine and water), ca. 460 BC.
This scene of five women gathering apples into wicker baskets is taken from daily life, but it brings to mind representations of the beautiful Hesperids, who guarded a tree of golden apples that brought immortality. The women depicted on this vase were young Athenian women, perhaps accompanied by a female servant to do the heavy lifting. Since apples were most often associated with female beauty, weddings & women's sexuality, they could be preparing for some ritual activity or women's festival in a sacred grove. Sappho famously wrote of a single apple that eluded the grasp of the pickers because it was at the very end of the bough. But here the woman portrayed at left holds a long stick that she may be using to shake loose the apples too high to reach, furthering enhancing the bucolic nature of the task at hand.
This scene of five women gathering apples into wicker baskets is taken from daily life, but it brings to mind representations of the beautiful Hesperids, who guarded a tree of golden apples that brought immortality. The women depicted on this vase were young Athenian women, perhaps accompanied by a female servant to do the heavy lifting. Since apples were most often associated with female beauty, weddings & women's sexuality, they could be preparing for some ritual activity or women's festival in a sacred grove. Sappho famously wrote of a single apple that eluded the grasp of the pickers because it was at the very end of the bough. But here the woman portrayed at left holds a long stick that she may be using to shake loose the apples too high to reach, furthering enhancing the bucolic nature of the task at hand.
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