RELIGIOUS
CONTINUITY
One
of the outstanding questions of Greek Dark Ages. Central to the question of how
far Classical Greece descends from the Mycenaean Bronze Age. Religion is
regarded as one of the most central aspects of human life only changing under
extreme pressures. If there is religious continuity strong presumption of
`ethnic' continuity - minimising impact of the Dorian migrations. Old view that
the Olympian Pantheon - the twelve gods - was Dorian, while the legends of
Cronos, Rea etc belonged to an older order.
Clearly
no written evidence to support either continuity or discontinuity. Material
culture - especially where representations like those of the Bronze Age are
missing - can tell us very little about belief systems. We have to rely on
inference from comparing the evidence from each period, and from the continued -
or near continued use of the same place without break.
BRONZE
AGE RELIGION
What
do we know of the sites of Mycenaean Religion in the 12th C? (LH IIIC)
Figurines
still found in settlements and occasionally in tombs.
Phylakopi
- two shrines, storerooms, benches, figurines human and animal.
Tiryns
- shrine with antechamber, bench with female figurines standing on it.
Both
sites are compatible with the few examples of earlier sanctuaries.
Minoan
tradition of peak sanctuaries and cave use poorly represented in LM IIIC - an
exception at Kato Symi where there is continuity from MM period. Sanctuary at
Karphi with raised arm figures, ‘stands’ with horns of consecration, and
‘chariot’ group. Raised arm figures regularly found in clay.
Basis
of cult the presentation of offerings (probably of agricultural/animal produce).
Still considerable debate about role of figurines - representing deities or
worshippers. Single or multiple deities. Mother goddess ??
Some
evidence from Linear B records - 14/13th C - in Greek, giving names of many
familiar divinities - some under secondary names. One tablet naming twelve
divinities:-
Zeus,
Athena (Potnia) Poseidon, Hera, Elytheia etc. But are these divinities or
familiar personal names?
CLASSICAL
RELIGION
No
ancient source per se - much deduced from inscriptions, oblique references etc.
Much more about festivals in honour of a divinity than ‘worship’ in the
modern sense. Such familiar aspects of Greek religion such as temples and cult
statues are ‘late’ additions to the surviving evidence. The first temples
belong to the mid 8th century and the first monumental statues to the 6th C.
The essential characteristics of Greek sanctuaries - in later periods - are a precinct, altar for burnt offerings, and dedications - eg Dodona where there were no buildings until the 4th century. These are precisely the types of evidence of which traces can be found in the majority of the 8th Greek sanctuaries, whether major ones such as Olympia, Delphi, Argive Heraion, Samian Heraion, Artemis at Ephesus or minor ones such as Aetos on Ithaka, Amyklaion near Sparta.
Index to Birth of the Polis pages