Published by the Swedish Institute at Athens. Distributed by Astrom Editions.

Minoan sacrificial ritual. Cult practice and symbolism

By Nanno Marinatos

Abstract

The cult practice and symbolism of Minoan sacrifice ritual are examined in this monograph. The archaeological evidence is analyzed and suggestions are made concerning the type and place of sacrifice, location of cult meals and species of sacrificial animals. The iconographical evidence supplies additional information about the priesthood, manner of sacrifice and occasions during which animals were slaughtered. Several scenes from glyptic art are discussed where sacrificial ritual is presented as a pictorial metaphor. Certain symbols are isolated and their connection with sacrificial practice is established. Through a projective mechanism, the Minoans expressed not only the importance of animal sacrifice but their perception of it as an extension of the laws of nature.

Contents

Introduction

Part 1. The archaeological and iconographical evidence

Types of animals
Place of sacrifice; altars
Manner of sacrifice
Libations
Animal rhyta and libation tables
Processions
Burying and burning the sacrificial animal
Cult meals
The skull and horns of the sacrificial animal
Occasion
Symbolic representations
Conclusions

Part 2. Symbols on seals denoting sacrifice of animals

Introduction
The eight-shield
The sacred garment
The impaled triangle
Types of scenes in which the three signs occur
Determinatives and sacrificial ritual

List of abbreviations

List of illustrations

General index

CMS index

Bibliographical information

Nanno Marinatos, Minoan sacrificial ritual. Cult practice and symbolism (Skrifter utgivna av Svenska Institutet i Athen, 8°, 9), Stockholm 1986. Softcover: 79 pages.

Reviews

The Classical Review 38, 1988, 340–342 (B.C. Dietrich)

Gnomon 62, 1990, 140–144 (Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier)

Journal of Prehistoric Religion 3–4, 1990, 65–68 (Gisela Walberg)

L’Antiquité Classique 59, 1990, 562–563 (Robert Laffineur)