Untitled Flashcards Set

Pylos – A Mycenaean city known for the Palace of Nestor and Linear B tablets, which provide evidence of early Greek religious practices.

Tholos – A beehive-shaped tomb or temple used in Mycenaean and Greek religious architecture. It reflects elite burial practices and potential ancestor worship.

Omphalos – A sacred navel stone at Delphi, believed to mark the center of the world in Greek cosmology. It symbolizes Delphi’s religious importance as Apollo’s sanctuary.

Delos – A sacred island, mythologically the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and a major cult center in Greek religion. It played a key role in Aegean religious festivals.

Knossos – The largest Minoan palace complex, associated with the myth of the Minotaur and labyrinth. Its frescoes and artifacts suggest a rich religious culture with goddess worship.

Göbekli Tepe – A Neolithic religious site in modern Turkey with massive stone temples predating Greek civilization. It suggests organized religious practice long before Greek temple traditions.

Xenia – The Greek concept of hospitality and guest-friendship, protected by Zeus Xenios. It was a sacred duty with religious and moral significance.

Linear B – An early Greek script used in Mycenaean administrative records. It documents religious offerings, deities, and cult practices, linking Mycenaean religion to later Greek traditions.

Asclepius – The god of medicine and healing, worshiped at sanctuaries like Epidaurus where pilgrims sought cures. His cult emphasized divine intervention in health.

Arrhephoros – A young Athenian girl who participated in secret rituals honoring Athena on the Acropolis. This reflects the role of women in religious rites.

Prometheus – A Titan who stole fire from the gods to give to humanity, symbolizing innovation, defiance, and divine punishment. His myth was central to religious and philosophical thought.

Brauronia – A festival for Artemis at Brauron, where young girls dressed as bears in initiation rites. It highlights Artemis’ role in protecting women and transitions into adulthood.

Vesta – The goddess of the hearth and home, representing the sanctity of domestic life and the importance of women in maintaining the family unit through rituals and offerings.