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rituals and priests - Coggle Diagram
rituals and priests
blood sacrifices
the ritual slaughtering of animals served many purposes, one of which was to supply meat
the main species were sheep, goats. pig and cattle
sacrifcies were held on an altar outside of a temple or shrine, and people gathered to watch
the preparation
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a strad of hair was cut to be placed on the altar, along with a fire and the prayer was then said
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the killing
the sacrificer cut the animals throat with a knife, and larger animals were stunned with a blow from an axe beforehand
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handling of the myeat
the deity's portion was removed- typically the thigh bones and small portions of the meat were burned on the altar with wine poured over it
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priests and priestesses
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priests were often employed by the city, performing rituals at specific occasions and assisting the magistrates
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priests had many privileges, such as front row seats at the theatre, the best cuts of meat, and were generally well regarded
if they were special oracular priests, they would be interpreting a deity's oracles, but did not have political significance
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aristocracy and women
aristocracy
priesthoods were mostly obtained by either inheritance, lot, or purchase
hereditary priesthoods were lifelong and prominent in civic cults such as athena polias and demeter and kore
the most famous hereditary priesthoods in greece were held by the two families which provided the priests for the eleusinian mysteries
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the kerykes provided the dadouchos, a torchbearer who provided light in the nocturnal part of the ceremony
women
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as priestesses, women took part in the administration of the sacred, led processions, held and organised female only festivals (thesmophoria)
libations and votives
libations
the pouring of wine, honey, milk or water to honour the gods, the heroes or even the dead and ask their favour in return
poured in public and private, to mark the beginning and ending of a day, a banquet, or the sacrifice
during travels, libations were poured on the arrival of safe land
in most cases, libations were poured out of a wine jug into a libation bowl and then onto the altar or ground
if the libation was larger scale for the dead and cthonic and nature deities, the libation would be poured directly into the grave vessel or earth
votives
not prescribed by a ritual, results from a vow by an individual or community to one or more gods
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made to show thanks, after a deity showed goodwill or helpful intervention, or as a guarantee for future goodwill of the gods
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