A theory of sacred space in ancient Greek temples
- Degree Grantor:
- University of California, Santa Barbara. Religious Studies
- Degree Supervisor:
- Christine M. Thomas
- Place of Publication:
- [Santa Barbara, Calif.]
- Publisher:
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- Creation Date:
- 2016
- Issued Date:
- 2016
- Topics:
- Archaeology, Religion, and Classical studies
- Keywords:
- Greek Temples,
Ancient Greek Religion,
Sacred Space,
Cult Statues,
Athena Polias, and
Erechtheion - Genres:
- Online resources and Dissertations, Academic
- Dissertation:
- M.A.--University of California, Santa Barbara, 2016
- Description:
Studies of sacred space in the Ancient Greek world have recently begun to view sacred space as a network of relationships within a cultural construct. Recent decades have also seen a rising scholarly interest in the cult statue -- its style, purpose, agency, and method of deriving meaning in a given culture. But, perhaps because of the dearth of cult statues in situ, the architectural and geographical space is not often studied together with the cult statue. This results in an incomplete understanding of most Ancient Greek sanctuary spaces, as scholars cannot hope to recreate the ancient viewer-worshipper's experience of the sanctuary until they study the two topics alongside one another.
This paper argues that two main components inform experiences of space and objects -- narrative and ritual. Further, I believe that these components function within a cultural system to connect space and object in a network of relationships in order to construct the experience of 'sacredness' within a culturally postulated sacred space. After a brief discussion of the theories of space and objects, and their connectedness in the Ancient Greek world, I present a case study that demonstrates how the narratives and rituals associated with the Erechtheion and Athena Polias connected the sanctuary space with the cult statue, and informed the viewer-worshipper's experience of the sanctuary.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (72 pages)
- Format:
- Text
- Collection(s):
- UCSB electronic theses and dissertations
- Other Versions:
- http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqm&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:10250080
- ARK:
- ark:/48907/f3pg1rxd
- ISBN:
- 9781369576641
- Catalog System Number:
- 990047511650203776
- Copyright:
- Ranjani Atur, 2016
- Rights:
- In Copyright
- Copyright Holder:
- Ranjani Atur
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