02-07-2007, 12:27 PM
So lets take the discussion straight back to a living history / re-enactment /experimental archeological context. In the reconstruction and interpretation of Ancient Religous practices we have more information on Hellas than many other ancient cultures. There is probably more than enough and even more interpretations than you can shake a stick at (Postmodern, Psychoanalytic, Archeological, Historical, Marxist, Neo-Pagan etc.,. ). These practices actually give us a nice cross section of social activity and realia to examine and portray.
So where could we start. We could choose particular city state, place and time would be a good start.This would give us some insight into the social actors of our reconstruction. Are they a wealthy Athenian Thiasos, Spartan soldiers before battle, a Doric Karneia or perhaps a pan-Hellenic festival? The Olympic festival was probably originally a local religious event until Iphitus, the king of Elis, decided to turn it into a broader, pan-Hellenic festival. The festival was basically a religious gathering to celebrate the gods worshipped in common by all Hellenes, primarily Zeus. There were three other major pan-Hellenic festivals which could lend themselves to study, the Pythian, the Nemean, and the Isthmian, all of which included fairs, but the festival at Olympia became pre-eminent by 572 BC, when Elis and Sparta entered into an alliance under which Elis was in charge of the event itself while Sparta enforced the sacred truce. For those who are interested there is an actual Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games. See http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~clscs275/ ... ociety.htm
OK, so once we have determined a historical setting in time and space we can start looking at costume, food and liturgical activities. An extremely important festival for the Spartans was the Karneia. Basically a harvest festival (and a festival of Apollo worshipped with the epithet Karneios) celebrated for nine days during the late summer. It was a celebration of migration, colonization and the city-foundation of the Doric peoples and of various military events. The men were divided up into nine groups of three phratries who dined together and each occupied a skias, an area which contained tents. In addition, some citizens carried models of rafts, which also symbolized the coming of the Dorians. These activities were to represent the early history of Sparta, including the migration and colonization.
I think Demetrios of Skepis described the Karneia and the games as a reflection of the military training system. However, having said that during it, Spartans were not allowed to venture to wars or battles. This was the reason why the Spartans arrived late at the Battle of Marathon.
In early Sparta, the Karneia was a muscial festival which included both men and women and a dance of armed men.
Most of us are city dwellers and would balk at animal sacrifice, so perhaps we should re-enact Orphics or Pythagoreans - he says biting into a ham sandwich.
Something like this could be properly researched with regard to costume and other details and form the basis of a living history event or a partial exhibition (say the musical contest with kithara, aulos, the hymns of Tyrtaios, Alkman, Terpandros, or even the footrace and an armed dance). This lends itself to being an educational experience and then being interpreted to the media and general public.
Comments?
So where could we start. We could choose particular city state, place and time would be a good start.This would give us some insight into the social actors of our reconstruction. Are they a wealthy Athenian Thiasos, Spartan soldiers before battle, a Doric Karneia or perhaps a pan-Hellenic festival? The Olympic festival was probably originally a local religious event until Iphitus, the king of Elis, decided to turn it into a broader, pan-Hellenic festival. The festival was basically a religious gathering to celebrate the gods worshipped in common by all Hellenes, primarily Zeus. There were three other major pan-Hellenic festivals which could lend themselves to study, the Pythian, the Nemean, and the Isthmian, all of which included fairs, but the festival at Olympia became pre-eminent by 572 BC, when Elis and Sparta entered into an alliance under which Elis was in charge of the event itself while Sparta enforced the sacred truce. For those who are interested there is an actual Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games. See http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~clscs275/ ... ociety.htm
OK, so once we have determined a historical setting in time and space we can start looking at costume, food and liturgical activities. An extremely important festival for the Spartans was the Karneia. Basically a harvest festival (and a festival of Apollo worshipped with the epithet Karneios) celebrated for nine days during the late summer. It was a celebration of migration, colonization and the city-foundation of the Doric peoples and of various military events. The men were divided up into nine groups of three phratries who dined together and each occupied a skias, an area which contained tents. In addition, some citizens carried models of rafts, which also symbolized the coming of the Dorians. These activities were to represent the early history of Sparta, including the migration and colonization.
I think Demetrios of Skepis described the Karneia and the games as a reflection of the military training system. However, having said that during it, Spartans were not allowed to venture to wars or battles. This was the reason why the Spartans arrived late at the Battle of Marathon.
In early Sparta, the Karneia was a muscial festival which included both men and women and a dance of armed men.
Most of us are city dwellers and would balk at animal sacrifice, so perhaps we should re-enact Orphics or Pythagoreans - he says biting into a ham sandwich.
Something like this could be properly researched with regard to costume and other details and form the basis of a living history event or a partial exhibition (say the musical contest with kithara, aulos, the hymns of Tyrtaios, Alkman, Terpandros, or even the footrace and an armed dance). This lends itself to being an educational experience and then being interpreted to the media and general public.
Comments?
Peter Raftos
