This page presents a study on several religious aspects of greek protohistorical times. Some documents about it may be downloaded from this website. Numilog is being contracted to sell on-line a full e-book on the subject. You will find here four sections:
The aegean Bronze Age, i.e. protohistorical times in the aegean world (approximately from 3000 to 1100 B.C.), came only slowly to light because more famous periods of the history of the greek mainland, namely the classical times, had first the favour of a large number of investigations. Therefore, this age is still unknown to a large extent. This is specially true for religious aspects.
The first objective of the study is to present the 2004 state-of-the-art researches and focuses about cult places recognition. It emphasizes the need for a deep analysis of archaeological evidence and for application of a more consistent and fruitful approach to the sites under study.
With this aim in view, in a second step, a number of "urban" aegean sites are considered: Gournia and Karfi (Crete), Keos et Phylakopi (islands), Mycenae (mainland), as well as the cretan "palaces" at Knossos, Mallia, Phaestos and Zakros. Other sites are then described apart either because they are assumed important or because they indicate the difficulty of their interpretation.
Then the study examines the material and specially some cases of "furniture" and objects, the cultual interpretation of which may be questioned. From there, it tries to obtain a sharper image of the religious practices at above sites as the focus is set on the variety and the originality of religious realisations. Finally it comes to a most debated question among greek world specialists: "gap or continuity?".
1- Monde Egéen et Age du Bronze
2- Un monde contrasté
3- Une longue séquence chronologique
4- Un domaine peu à peu sorti de l'ombre
1- "Religion" et "Sacré"
2- L'évolution de la recherche
3- Les sources en question
4- Des sites à exploiter
1- Objet de l'étude
2- Présentation générales des sites retenus
3- Les sites
4- Un espace ordonné et organisé
5- Principales caractéristiques des édifices cultuels
6- Aménagement intérieur
7- Le matériel
8- Remarques sur la fonction des édifices
9- Conclusions
10- Autres lieux cultuels "urbains"
1- Présentation et méthode
2- Organisation générale des espaces "cultuels":
unités et circulation
3- Caractéristiques des pièces "cultuelles"
4- L'environnement palatial des ensembles cultuels
5- Bilan
6- Autres "lieux cultuels" en milieu palatial
1- Les sites "domestiques"
2- "Lieux de culte" en dehors des milieux "urbains" et palatiaux
3- Les "lieux de culte" dans les édifices funéraires
1- Mobilier "cultuel"
2- Objets
1- Lieux et rites égéens
2- Les divinités
3- Prières, offrandes et sacrifices
Available documents are:
The work was also published as a book but is no longer available as a paper edition.
It is now distributed in
PDF format
by the editor.
Back to "Cultual practices in Greece" introduction page
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