Mycenaean Religion/Art By Eugenia Berdali To better appreciate the Mycenaean treasures on display at the National Archana Vijayaeological Museum of Athens and the Museum of Nauplion, it is important to intercept our sequence of posts with a reference to the Mycenaean religious perceptions, as well as the whole Mycenaean civilization itself. The Mycenaean religious beliefs and customs remain a direct evolution of the Messohelladic Greek mainland traditions of which - in fact- we know very little. As Nilsson points out humorously, our knowledge of those very early Greek mainland religions is limited to one word: Zeus. Our closest knowledge that comes from excavations in prehistoric cemeteries confirms that the contact with the Minoans certainly contributed to the local rites, but did not alter the religion itself or its deities. In Mycenae, the names of the Olympians we come across the Linear B tablets (13th century BC) are Poseidon, Zeus, Hera, Hermes, Apollo, Ares, Potnia Athana, Enyalios, Potnia Sito, Hippia Artemis and -from Knossos- Eleuthia. It appears that some deities were patron gods of specific cities like Poseidon in Pylos. The system was polytheistic – simple and functional -based in the deification of nature and earth. The goddess of snakes was not part of the Mycenaean Pantheon remaining a clearly Minoan deity. However, next to the Olympian gods, particularly in miniature, we find depictions of the great goddess of nature. This voluptuous deity of Cretan descent, in mainland Greece /Mycenae, is not only the ruler of fertility, growth, and abundance (honored with fruit and flower offerings), but also a goddess of hunting and war (honored with animal sacrifices) identified by the figure- of- 8 shields in her proximity or her escort of griffins . These are the earliest forms of Hera (protector of family) and Athena (protector of the city) that were of particular significance in Mycenae. The brightly colored plaster head of goddess Hera dating for the 13th century BC was found in 1896 at the citadel of Mycenae by Tsountas (3). In the Mycenaean times, people maintained temples as well as portable family shrines. Temples were small, four sided buildings with an open front side (4, a,b,c). They had only one room usually with a low altar in the center. Along the walls many times there are tables (thrania) for the display of idols and vessels. Small adjacent to the temple rooms served daily administrative procedures and as quarters for the priests. Temples appear joyfully decorated on holidays when the burning incense, aromatic herbs and perfumed oils streamed pathways in the air for the descend of the great goddess. No double axes have ever been found in religious centers . In addition, it appears that there was a well-organized priesthood system in charge of worship, rituals, sacred functions and regulations, as well as the property of the temple that included servants, animals, and precious objects. In one of the Linear B tablets we learn about priestess Erita who tried to evade taxes and was obliged to pay a fine having lost the case in court. Apart from the priests, a considerable number of lower ranking officials are referred to by their service titles such as “klawiphoroi” (perhaps key holders or κλειδούχοι) that usually are women and “hieroworghoi” or assistants. etc. At the top of this administrative pyramid stood the high priest, who in the few remaining depictions appears dressed in long heavy garments. The Mycenaeans believed that deities apart from priests, were also served by daemonic and mythical animals, (3b). Sources Our most ancient source on religious habits and beliefs (and, in fact on everything else) is Homer. By his time, things were not an exact replica of the Mycenaean world, however they still can provide the additional understanding, the reasoning needed to decipher buildings, foundations, objects, symbols, and so much more. Other sources include the Linear B tablets (deciphered by Chadwick and Venrtris) that go back at least to the 13th century BC with references to gods, offerings, temples and altars, as well as priests and priestesses working in sanctuaries (2). This information projected to rituals and religious customs. Great input also comes from excavations that reveal foundations of temples, frescoes, seals, rings, etc. Worship and Art The study of evidence reveals the simplicity of Mycenaean worship. Two identified aspects are orgiastic dances ( όργιον/orgy = (original meaning) ritual, Οργιάζω/orgiazo = I perform a religious ritual) in open air sanctuaries honoring goddesses that protected nature and brought about good plentiful harvests. The second aspect involves long processions of men and women towards shrines and altars. In a ritualistic manner that involves specific worship gesticulations like the lifting one, or both arms towards or above the head the people arrive at shrines with offerings of fruit and flowers (4f). The rhyta or libation vases found in Mycenaean sanctuaries show that libations were quite common (4g,h) . Offerings included objects made of precious metals, dedications of people who served at the temples, and animal sacrifices of antelopes, rams, and boars. Compositions include particular symbols that reflect reverence, magic, and instances of epiphany. Such symbols are altars that may be square, round, as well as the outstanding biconcave type depicted on the Lion Gate relief (4m). Portable altars resembling tripod offering tables where also present. Birds on top of buildings indicate the epiphany of deities. Apart from escorts of gods, or divination conduits, birds can be concealingthe presence of the divine. According to Homer, Athena and Apollo descended from Olympus in form of birds to observe humans incognito. A contemporary trans-religion equivalent would be the Christian symbol of the dove that represents/is the Holy Spirit. In Mycenae, the sacred horns, (a characteristic Minoan symbol), appear only in miniature art, usually on plates and rings that show horn adorned temples and altars. The double axe on the other hand appears for only a very short period of time between the 16/15 centuries BC and then vanishes forever. The impressive number of small gold leaf double axes found In the Grave Circle A were seen by Evans as a degeneration of the original double axe motive A very powerful overwhelming symbol is the Sacred Tree. Just as altars, depictions of sacred trees indicate an open air sanctuary setting. Sacred trees appear luscious, full of leaves, leaning over altars. Sometimes, a single roofless (free) column may represent a sacred tree but this usually must be collaborated by the presence of rituals and dances bringing about the epiphany of the deity. The Mycenaeans, like other ancient civilizations, seemed to believe that deities would descent and live in trees to rejoice in rituals, sacred singing and dances, and further to receive prayer and grand requests. Apart from deities, mythical animals/spirits appear to inhabit trees. In fact, the contemporary “superstition” of knocking wood is rooted in this ancient belief that knocking on a tree trunk would invoke the protection of the inhabiting deity. Further, since originally all sanctuaries were open air groves, the very columns of temples (and palaces etc. ) were whole tree trunks (placed upside down to facilitate the dripping of rain water instead of running down and rotting the column). This choice was not only practical, but also symbolical in “recreating” the original sacred grove and receiving protection. Eventually, these early religious centers evolved into the classical temple, which surrounded by a forest of (now, marble) columns went on commemorating the original Mother Earth sacred grove. The figure- of- 8 shield is a Mycenaean defensive weapon (4n). None has survived so we depend on descriptions and frescoes. 16th century) and Homer’s description according to which they were made of 7 layers of bull skin on a wooden panel. Figure- of- 8 shields as all very important object of use that made people’s life better was attributed symbolical, magical power of protection when depicted in palace rooms and religious objects. As mentioned previously, this is characteristic of the new aspect of the nature goddess that is presenting an additional more warlike aspect – the origins of our very early Athena (5b). In the late Mycenaean years, they were replaced by smaller round shields that were easier to maneuver. Finds Rings are amazing little nuggets of craftsmanship, artistic sensitivity and meaningful projections. The technique and component elements show a very strong relationship with Crete. Compositions focus on scenes of hunting and war, while in the 15century BC religious rites are predominant. Mostly in natural setting, human and animal figures appear bigger than buildings, the array of which is occasionally interrupted “framing” the main ritual scene. It appears that the rings were not worn on fingers but as pendants on wring bands by both men and women for protection and identity. The compositions being the “signatures of the bearers were used to seal and secure objects imprinted on limps of soft clay. Semiprecious stones (agate, amethyst, ore crystal, etc.) are far more abundant than all gold rings. They were perforated and worn as ornaments. Seals were commonly attributed magical qualities – a notion that carries to today. For example, in Crete “milk stones” are supposed to help new mothers produce a lot of milk. Up to know we have 20 golden rings from the citadel of Mycenae with religious rites. An outstanding example is from a gold plated silver ring found in one of the chamber tombs. Across from a temple bearing the sacred horns, three women are approaching a temple in a ceremonious reverent way expressed through the specific religious gestures (5a). The women wear the characteristic layered Minoan skirt. The lower part of the ring is gone. In another famous ring from the citadel of Mycenae (5b)we see an open sanctuary/grove where the goddess of trees and growth is sitting under a sacred tree on the left with little servant maidens in front and behind her . She holds a few poppies offered to her by a woman that stands before her still outstretching her hand. Another woman awaits her turn with an offering of lilies. From above (an artistic means indicating depth/perspective), an armed figure is descending from the skies. The sacred symbol of the double axe is present as well as as well as the moon and the sun on a wavy line that is the sky. Six heads of animals frame the composition on the right. These could be animal sacrifices that along with the depiction of the figure of 8 shield suggest the early Athena aspect of the nature goddess. Gold seal-ring from the so-called treasury of Tiryns, dating from the 15th century B.C. Four demons with lion features are carrying libation vases and proceed toward an enthroned woman (goddess) who is holding up a broad-mouthed vase in her raised right hand; in front of her on a high stem is an incense-burner. The womans feet rest on a footstool and behind her there is a bird. Drops of rain, the sun and the moon are shown high up in the sky, but they are separated by branches; small trees and ears of corn are shooting up between the demons. There is an ornamental frieze below the main representation. The scene represents some kind of ritual connected with vegetation, fortuity and produce of the earth - the most vital concern of ancient humanity (5d). Another excellent example has been interpreted either as a scene of mourning and sorrow - related to the sacrifice/death of the tree/nature and the joy of revival, resurrection (4c), or as an orgiastic(=ritualistic) dance inviting the epiphany of the goddess. In the left side there is a temple with a baetylos or sacred stone and a leafy tree. A square structure stands on the other side of the ring . In the center of the composition there are two women and one man in an orgiastic dance The womens breasts are naked while the man bears a loin cloth. In art, deities are presented as protectors of nature and growth ranging from trees, fields, and pastures to family life, hunting, war reflecting and including the wild aspect of nature. As the feeder of humanity, the great goddess, her escort, and her priestesses are presented with naked breasts that in the context of sympathetic magic affects the productive powers of nature. Unlike Minoan art however, regular Mycenaean women are presented with their upper bodies covered (6). Men were loincloths and ankle-wraps when visiting mountain shrines. Statuettes found in Mycenae include funerary examples like the kourotrofos (the feeder of children) and other protective forms (6d,f). Of special mention are the clay statuettes found in the Mycenaean cult center with characteristic agitated gestures and angry, scary features that probably have an appalling significance – that is, keeping evil away with exorcist blessings and rituals against the evil eye. These statuettes suggest a belief in daemonic powers that could affect humans with natural disasters, sickness, enemies etc. Scared ritual processions and displays of the idols seemed to avert the above mentioned negative effects. It appears that they were displayed inside the cult center on special tables , as well as outside fitted on wooden posts. In one of the rooms, these same type of idols were found stored with their faces turned towards the wall. The positioning may have been a means of “deactivation” (6g, h) . In summary, no evidence has been found of the religious habits of the Mesohelladic periods. It appears that worship was aniconic. However the advanced practices of the Mycenaeans show that the interaction of Mesohelladic populations with the Minoan were strong. Thus worship was affected in various creative ways. Finally important it is to note that Mycenaean religion was anthropomorphic. The influences from Crete carry this tradition however only in the female form. Towards the end of the Minoan times we have a young male god accompanying the great goddess (7). This may have evolved to the Demetra/Persephone/Triptolemos concept (7a). There has been no evidence whatsoever of human sacrifice! Pictures 2. Linear B tablet. (Pylos), 3. Female head/Plaster- Hera, 3a. Mythical animals, 3b. Ivory depiction of the goddess and totem animals, 3g. The cult Center extends beyond the Grave Circle A, 4. Cult center (House of high Priest/quarters). Mycenae, 4a. Staircase and water drainage between the Cult Center and Priests quarters, 4b. Horseshoe shaped clay altar for the sacrifice of animals, 4c. Floor plan/part of the Mycenaean cult center, 4f. Representation of a royal procession towards the Cult Center, 4g,h Libation Vessels, 4m. Lion Gate Relief with biconcave altar, 4n. Fresco/ Figure-of-8 shield from the House of the High Priest 1200BC, 5. Gold Rings (5a, 5b, 5c,5d)/Precious stone Seals (5 f, g, h,i), 6. Mycenaean Lady, 6d. Protective statuettes/Kourotrophos, 6g,h. Apotropaic Statuettes, 7. The Prehistoric Sacred Trinity/Ivory, 7a. The Eleusinian Sacred Trinity/Marble.
Posted on: Sat, 04 Oct 2014 19:23:32 +0000
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