The Cup of Initiation. Towards the Semantics of Precious Metal Vessels in the Orphic Ritual Practices of the Thracian Aristocracy Cover Image
  • Price 4.50 €

Чашата на причастието. Към семантиката на съдовете от благороден метал в орфическата ритуална среда на тракийската аристокрация
The Cup of Initiation. Towards the Semantics of Precious Metal Vessels in the Orphic Ritual Practices of the Thracian Aristocracy

Author(s): Michaela Yordanova
Subject(s): History, Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Cultural history, Photography, Visual Arts, Comparative history, History of ideas, Social history, Ancient World, Theology and Religion, History of Religion
Published by: Институт за балканистика с Център по тракология - Българска академия на науките
Keywords: Thracian vessels; sacred mysterious logos; Orphic communities; Thracian political elites; initiation

Summary/Abstract: The exposition analyzes the semantics of Thracian vessels of precious metal; an attempt was made to discuss their function in the context of sacred mysterious logos; a reinterpretation of the ritual symposial practices characteristic of the Orphic communities of Thracian political elites is proposed. Precisely because of their sacred functions, vessels of precious metal with inscriptions are found in the funerals and treasures of the aristocratic elite. They function in a certain way in the symposium rituals during the ruler’s symposia, and such practices in Thrace, are part of the Orphic religion and are associated with aristocratic political elites. There are several reasons for this topic: There is discussion in the literature and there is still a lack of a systematic and consistent thesis about the function of precious metal vessels in the Thracian cultural model. Despite the fundamental research of Al. Foul, the connection between the Thracian basic model of Orphism as aristocratic ideology and its projections in artifacts and folk narratives has not yet been sought. No effort was made to illuminate the function of the Thracian sacral artifacts in parallel with the Greek orphic sources.

  • Issue Year: 2020
  • Issue No: 25
  • Page Range: 61-75
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: English, Greek, Ancient (to 1453), Bulgarian