Jackie Mahaffey
Oxford Readings in Greek Religion.
Chapter Six (Susan G. Cole):
Demeter in the Ancient Greek City and its
Countryside
Introduction:
“Greek conceptions of space and time were shaped by ideas
that identified the world of nature with the world of the gods. The gods
were thought to control the forces of natures an were believed to have their
own place in the natural world”(133).
1. The countryside was home of the gods
2. local myths always placed human struggle for survival or human
competition for political dominance in reference to divine world.
Words:
walled city (asty) other (polis)
countryside (chora) territory was a gift from god
3. gods were adapted to new organization of city state.
4. history of rituals-defined the community
5. issues of religion between polis an land
example: a 4th century decree from Kolophon (p133)
sanctuaries were natural home of deity the polis had over constellation
of divinitiesall gods belonged to polis whether in the country or city
gods founded city for them
1. common cultural consciousness
2. economic experiences
3. social organization shaped the polis physically and spiritually
other considerations:
1. function of divinity
2. demands of ritual
3. social organization-influence placement of sanctuaries
The author chose to discuss Demeter because she was widely worshiped
in and out side the city walls, in this way you would get a variety of information.
(Thesmophoria-votives)
Sanctuaries:
sanctuaries were found inside and outside the city wallsthe
author found that their position, natural resources, and architectural features
were all different and based on different reasons.
some were worshiped where the agriculture was (grain)
oil and wine were not practical for protection from famine
life determined life or death in their societythey believed
Demeter brought them food and life and could very well take it away!
the author found that their were many different epithets of Demeter
example: Chloe (‘green shoot) Sito (Grain) Mimalis
(Abundance), etc. (p136)
the epithets meant different things in certain areas
word:
institution-thesmoi
Festivals:
Proerosia during the Attic month
1. Pyanopsion in Autumn before plowing
2. sowing
3. Stenia and Thesmophoria (men excluded) followed
in same month.
4. mid-winter Greeks sacrificed to Demeter Chloe (green
shoots of grain)
5. Haloa-restricted women
halos (threshing-floor)
Most festivals were celebrated at deme level. This means that
there were local Demeter celebrations in the villages (in Attica). Also,
at different times of year a given Demeter sanctuary could serve for the
celebration of a local Demeter cult, and a more widespread (polis)
celebration.
For example: at Eleusis the Demeter sanctuary was used both for
a local celebration of the Thesmophoria as well as for the great Mysteries
of Demeter. Another example was on the island of Thasos, where a sanctuary
did double duty: it served both for local phratry celebrations of ancestral
divinities, as well as for Demeter’s festival of Thesmophoria. p. 137-138.
Demeter’s calender of festivals varied from city to city and not
fixed on the same month, they were fixed on were the grain was grown.
Agricultural concerns are symbolized on votives
important: the number, simplicity, and modesty.
1. miniature vessels for carrying water (hydriai)
2. vessels for grain (kernoi)
pigs were a common sacrifice whether it was a piglet or sow which
identified fertility and motherhood
these objects were dedicated by women as tokens of participation
Thesphorphoria – where piglets that were sacrificed are brought
up from under ground chambers.
Ceramic pigs fond in ash pits
pig sacrifices signifies female fecundity
votives may not be similar at every sanctuary.
Show variety of thingsrites of Demeter open to local women
and not reserved for small groups
need inscriptions or literary accounts to explain sites and rites
sites for sanctuaries reflect agriculture concerns: to encourage
agricultural success, which required natural feature where only in certain
areas.
Water was a concern
sanctuaries found by streams or springsthere were fountains located
near entrance of sanctuary
needed pure water for rites and purification.
Sanctuaries found by streams etc, on the side of hills outside
city walls, and inside and outside of walled city.
The differences between Greek cities on the mainland affected
the placement and content.
In Demeter sites in Magna Graecia Sicily, and North Africa, there were
found hundred of thousand dedicationsminiature vases with kalathiskoi,
hydriai or hydriskai and phialai
votives deposit near temple contain 600 mixture hydriai some showing
women in procession major deposits at the Thesmophorion
ceremonial meals in sanctuary (bones show that sheep predominating
over pigs at 17%)
votives associated with water were common: hydriskai and
hydrophoroi
until the 2nd century voitves seem to cease and lamps and miniature
vases were popular dedications (especially those of water)
male figurine have been found (agricultural tools, weapons, and
inscribed ring dedicated to the Mother.
Literary references describing a political or military crisis
give hints about location of Demeter sanctuary elsewhere in Greece
there was a violation of boundaries concerning the sanctuaries
of Demeter
1. most were restricted to female worshipers
2. example: a man was condemned to death who attempted to take
refuge in sanctuary
Also, after the battle of Marathon the Athenian general Miltiades
was trying to find a way into the city of Paros and injured leg when jumping
over the wall of Demeter’s temenos. He died of gangrene soon thereafter.
The Greeks thought that this was divine punishment for his violation, and
for the priestess who had revealed the secrets of the mysteries to him;
secrets which were not supposed to be known by males (Herodotus 6.134).
Again the author goes on to explain that sanctuaries were found
in varies places in acropolis or outside of acropolis. Example: the
sanctuary at Mytilene seems to have been used for variety of ceremoniesit
was located rocky height overlooking the sea) there where over 1500 terracotta
figurines representing men, women, children, birds and animals
Demeter pro poleos (“before the city”)
was “common in cities founded from Greece during the two great periods
of diaspora and colonial expansion.” (148)
Demeter was also associated with agricultural expansion in the
colonial foundation in Sicily and Magna Graeicia there several stages of
permanent placement
1. when Greeks trades and that were not yet permanent settler were still
only temporary residents their sanctuaries remain on the periphery of local
settlements
2. Greek colonists found their own permanent settlements movement from
inside to outside the walls example: Gela and hill at Bialemi
Sanctuaries that were outside were generally related to agricultural
success the sanctuaries located in inside the walls were remotetheir
orientation and design exploits topographical or geographical features of
the site example: sanctuary at Priene illustrate Demeter in ‘inner’ space.
With sanctuaries in the ‘inner’ space the architects had problems
of maintaining elements of Demeter’s rural character
There were other ways by which a country sanctuary could become
a city sanctuary
1. If a city increase its walled territory sanctuaries once outside the
walls could become sanctuaries inside the walls. Example: when Siris
in Magna Graecia
Points that should be stressed
1. establishment of extramural sanctuary of Demeter was not confined
to the period of colonization
2. Demeter votives seem to vary with location of her sanctuary whether
inside of outside the city wall and the major types of votives usually fall
into similar chronological ranges
3. space could be recreated into new places
In my opinion, I think Demeter is unlike the other gods, she seems
to be more compassionate and caring for the humans. It seems you do not
find her causing trouble for the humans as much as the other gods. On the
other hand, she did cause trouble for the humans in the Homeric Hymn to
Demeter, which was the humans’ fault. In addition, my theory as to why she
is caring towards the humans, is because she as a deity is based around
the humans. She represents fertility in mothers and crops, and she is known
to take this gift away when need be.
Return to Main Page: CLST 4003H. Honors Colloquium
on Greek Religion. Spring, 2002.
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