A Mask in Ancient Greek Religion Cover Image

Маска в древнегреческой религи
A Mask in Ancient Greek Religion

Author(s): Aleksey Panteleev
Subject(s): Anthropology, Archaeology, Visual Arts, Sociology of Religion
Published by: Издательство Исторического факультета СПбГУ
Keywords: Ancient Greece; religion; Crete; mystery; ritual; Dionysus; Artemis; Gorgon;

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this paper is an overview of using of masks in the Greek religious tradition based on the analysis of the literary tradition, vase painting and archeology. The article focuses on the mask associated with the Cretan bull-god, Gorgon, Artemis, Dionysus, Demeter, river gods. Particular attention is paid to the use of masks in the Greek mysteries and the funeral cult. On the basis of this analysis it is concluded that it is not necessary to associate the use of masks in the ancient world only with the cult of Dionysus. More likely is a strong influence of both local Istrian tradition anf eastern traditions, but later masks were squeezed to the periphery of religious life and to the carnival, keeping its place only in rituals and sacraments of some local cults.

  • Issue Year: 2015
  • Issue No: 23
  • Page Range: 101-118
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Russian