Rituals and Festivals
As mentioned in the previous section, the worship of Artemis was widely diffused across the Greek world, but it is at Brauron that we have the most information about the types of religious practices that went on at the Sanctuary of Artemis. Although the sanctuary would have received visitors and their votive offerings all year round,[1] it is for two major rituals/events that Brauron is famous in the literary sources and iconography. These are known as the arkteia ritual and the Brauronia Festival.
As mentioned in the previous section, the worship of Artemis was widely diffused across the Greek world, but it is at Brauron that we have the most information about the types of religious practices that went on at the Sanctuary of Artemis. Although the sanctuary would have received visitors and their votive offerings all year round,[1] it is for two major rituals/events that Brauron is famous in the literary sources and iconography. These are known as the arkteia ritual and the Brauronia Festival.
The Arkteia
Many sources refer to young Athenian girls, at some point in their lives before marriage, who served Artemis by “playing the bear (arktoi)” at Brauron, and indeed at other sanctuaries of Artemis.[2] This ritual was known as the bear festival or the arkteia. The arkteia was an initiation period for young girls to become women, where they would remain at the sanctuary for a period of time and participate in the various rites and rituals.[3]
There are two versions of the story as to why young girls had to play the bear for Artemis. The first is along the vein of the literary tradition of Euripides, in which he mentions the link between Iphigenia and Brauron. What follows are the remarks made from the scholiasts who writes on Aristophanes’ ‘Lysistrata’ and Euphorion saying that:
'Some say the affairs concerning Iphigeneia were at
Brauron, and not Aulis. Euphorion, "At Brauron by
the sea is the cenotaph of Iphigeneia." Agamemnon
seems to have sacrificed Iphigeneia at Brauron, not
at Aulis, and to have killed a bear instead of her,
not a deer. Wherefore they celebrate a mystery in
her honour.'
The second version of the story is an ancient Attic myth concerning a sacred bear of Artemis that lived in Brauron. One day a young girl teased this bear, and it responded by scratching out her eyes. The girl’s brother killed the bear in anger, and Artemis retaliated with famine (or plague in some versions) on the Athenian people. The oracle at Delphi, through the words of Apollo, told the Athenians that henceforth every Athenian girl would have to “play the bear” for Artemis before marriage in order for the famine to be lifted. During this period the girls would be known as the arktoi and the ritual the arkteia.[4]
The interpretation of the arkteia is based on the myth of the bear, whose death invoked the wrath of Artemis which had to be atoned for with the periodic service at the sanctuary from young Athenian girls.[5]
Many sources refer to young Athenian girls, at some point in their lives before marriage, who served Artemis by “playing the bear (arktoi)” at Brauron, and indeed at other sanctuaries of Artemis.[2] This ritual was known as the bear festival or the arkteia. The arkteia was an initiation period for young girls to become women, where they would remain at the sanctuary for a period of time and participate in the various rites and rituals.[3]
There are two versions of the story as to why young girls had to play the bear for Artemis. The first is along the vein of the literary tradition of Euripides, in which he mentions the link between Iphigenia and Brauron. What follows are the remarks made from the scholiasts who writes on Aristophanes’ ‘Lysistrata’ and Euphorion saying that:
'Some say the affairs concerning Iphigeneia were at
Brauron, and not Aulis. Euphorion, "At Brauron by
the sea is the cenotaph of Iphigeneia." Agamemnon
seems to have sacrificed Iphigeneia at Brauron, not
at Aulis, and to have killed a bear instead of her,
not a deer. Wherefore they celebrate a mystery in
her honour.'
The second version of the story is an ancient Attic myth concerning a sacred bear of Artemis that lived in Brauron. One day a young girl teased this bear, and it responded by scratching out her eyes. The girl’s brother killed the bear in anger, and Artemis retaliated with famine (or plague in some versions) on the Athenian people. The oracle at Delphi, through the words of Apollo, told the Athenians that henceforth every Athenian girl would have to “play the bear” for Artemis before marriage in order for the famine to be lifted. During this period the girls would be known as the arktoi and the ritual the arkteia.[4]
The interpretation of the arkteia is based on the myth of the bear, whose death invoked the wrath of Artemis which had to be atoned for with the periodic service at the sanctuary from young Athenian girls.[5]
Evidence of the arkteia ritual has been found on small mixing bowls known as krateriskoi, which have been found at all Attic sanctuaries of Artemis, not only Brauron.[6] These artefacts give us some indication as to what took place in the arkteia ritual. Young girls would either be depicted as wearing a short chiton or no clothing at all.[7] According to written sources, namely Aristophanes,[8] playing the bear involved wearing a yellow coloured robe known as a krokotos. It is uncertain how, or what, these robes were used for as there is no depiction of them on the preserved vases that have been found.[9] The importance of clothing, however, has been well observed at the site as there are many inscriptions that record the dedication of clothing to Artemis Brauronia.[10] The various functions of Artemis as mentioned earlier are reflected in the many offerings, especially clothing, found at Brauron. Euripides mentions a cult practice peculiar to Brauron, in which he explains that that clothing of women who had died in childbirth was dedicated at the sanctuary of Brauron, specifically to the cult of Iphigenia. Whether or not this is to be taken as fact, it is certainly a ritual that seems very unusual, and was not practiced anywhere else in the Greek world.[11]
There are definite links to be found in other sanctuaries of Artemis in Attica concerning ritual practice, and they usually contain the same underlying themes; young girls playing the bear and sacrifices of substitute. Evidence can be found in similar krateriskoi found in the other sanctuaries such as Piraeus, Mounychia, and Artemis Agrotera at Athens. This probably means that the arkteia ritual was not confined only to Brauron, but took place in other sanctuaries dedicated to the goddess. However, scholars are unsure in what way the arkteia shared similarities, if it did at all, between the different sanctuaries of Artemis, particularly between Brauron and Mounychia[12] which appear to be the most closely connected.
There are definite links to be found in other sanctuaries of Artemis in Attica concerning ritual practice, and they usually contain the same underlying themes; young girls playing the bear and sacrifices of substitute. Evidence can be found in similar krateriskoi found in the other sanctuaries such as Piraeus, Mounychia, and Artemis Agrotera at Athens. This probably means that the arkteia ritual was not confined only to Brauron, but took place in other sanctuaries dedicated to the goddess. However, scholars are unsure in what way the arkteia shared similarities, if it did at all, between the different sanctuaries of Artemis, particularly between Brauron and Mounychia[12] which appear to be the most closely connected.
The number of girls actually participating in the rituals at Brauron is unknown. According to Christiane Sourvinou-Inwood, it would be logistically impossible that all Athenian girls of the correct age participated as arktoi, rather only a privileged few would have been selected.[13] Most often these girls are running in a race, carrying torches or garlands in their hands, which leads scholars to believe that athletic games may have been held during the major festivals at the sanctuary. Other times the girls appear to be dancing in rhythm, and written sources confirm that ritual dancing was common practice in sanctuaries of Artemis.[14] The torches carried may signify that the rites were usually carried out during the evening. On the krateriskoi we often find iconography of an altar with a flame burning and a palm tree, which somehow depict the location of the event. Various interpretations have been made for the symbolism represented here.[15] Neilsen believes that the rituals depicted on the krateriskoi vases show the private and somewhat secretive initiation rites of the young girls before marriage, and not the official festival of the Brauronia where a great audience would be invited to the sanctuary.[16]
The Brauronia Festival
Once every four years the Great Brauronia festival took place. This procession began on the Acropolis in Athens, and ended in Brauron where the festivities began. These included music, athletic games, feasting and horse racing.[17] In antiquity, we hear of Brauron’s fame as a religious centre, which was not the case at Aulis,[18] and the Great Brauronia was surely a huge event. It is possible that the girls who participated in the arkteia ritual during the Great Brauronia festival were a select few from elite families who were chosen to represent all of the young girls of Athens.[19] Unfortunately we have little information about the Great Brauronia, apart from the few mentions in the literary sources.
We first hear about the Brauronia festival in a few lines from Aristophanes’ Lysistrata:
'I bore the holy vessels
At seven, then
I pounded barley
At the age of ten,
And clad in yellow robes,
Soon after this,
I was Little Bear to
Brauronian Artemis'
(Lines 641-647)
Also in Aristotle's Athenian Constitution:
'One of the four-yearly festivals is the Mission to Delos,
a second is the Brauronia,
a third the Heraclea, and a fourth the Eleusinia;
a fifth is the Panathenaic'
(Section 54.7)
Once every four years the Great Brauronia festival took place. This procession began on the Acropolis in Athens, and ended in Brauron where the festivities began. These included music, athletic games, feasting and horse racing.[17] In antiquity, we hear of Brauron’s fame as a religious centre, which was not the case at Aulis,[18] and the Great Brauronia was surely a huge event. It is possible that the girls who participated in the arkteia ritual during the Great Brauronia festival were a select few from elite families who were chosen to represent all of the young girls of Athens.[19] Unfortunately we have little information about the Great Brauronia, apart from the few mentions in the literary sources.
We first hear about the Brauronia festival in a few lines from Aristophanes’ Lysistrata:
'I bore the holy vessels
At seven, then
I pounded barley
At the age of ten,
And clad in yellow robes,
Soon after this,
I was Little Bear to
Brauronian Artemis'
(Lines 641-647)
Also in Aristotle's Athenian Constitution:
'One of the four-yearly festivals is the Mission to Delos,
a second is the Brauronia,
a third the Heraclea, and a fourth the Eleusinia;
a fifth is the Panathenaic'
(Section 54.7)
References
[1] Léger, R. 2011. "Artemis in Attica." MA, Utrecht University. p. 20
[2] Hollinshead, M. B. B. 1979. "Legend, Cult, and Architecture at Three Sanctuaries of Artemis." PhD, Bryn Mawr College. p. 58
[3] Nielsen, I. 2009. "The Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia: Can Architecture and Iconography Help to Locate the Settings of the Rituals?" In From Artemis to Diana: The Goddess of Man and Beast, edited by T. Fischer-Hansen and B. Poulsen. Vol. Acta Hyperborea 12, 77-109. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press. p. 79
[4] Léger, R. 2011. p. 37
[5] Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 80
[6] For example; Halai, Mounichia,and Aristoboule in Athens. Léger, R. 2011. p. 37
[7] Lloyd-Jones, H. 1983. "Artemis and Iphigeneia." The Journal of Hellenic Studies 103: p. 93
[8] Lloyd-Jones, H. 1983. p. 92
[9] Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 80
[10] Lloyd-Jones, H. 1983. p. 95
[11] Ekroth, G. 2003. "Inventing Iphigeneia? on Euripides and the Cultic Construction of Brauron." Kernos 16: p. 96
[12] Hollinshead, M. B. B. 1979. p. 61
[13] Sourvinou-Inwood, C. 1988. Studies in girls´ transitions. Aspects of the Arkteia and age representation in Attic Iconography. Athens 1988. As cited in Ekroth, G. 2003. p. 90-91
[14] Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 86
[15] See Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 89-91; p. 103
[16] Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 105
[17] Léger, R. 2011. p. 20-21
[18] Hollinshead, M. B. B. 1979. p. 55
[19] Cole, S. G. 1998. "Domesticating Artemis." Chap. 3, In The Sacred and the Feminine in Ancient Greece, edited by S. Blundell and M. Williamson, 24-38. London and New York: Routledge. p. 34
[1] Léger, R. 2011. "Artemis in Attica." MA, Utrecht University. p. 20
[2] Hollinshead, M. B. B. 1979. "Legend, Cult, and Architecture at Three Sanctuaries of Artemis." PhD, Bryn Mawr College. p. 58
[3] Nielsen, I. 2009. "The Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia: Can Architecture and Iconography Help to Locate the Settings of the Rituals?" In From Artemis to Diana: The Goddess of Man and Beast, edited by T. Fischer-Hansen and B. Poulsen. Vol. Acta Hyperborea 12, 77-109. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press. p. 79
[4] Léger, R. 2011. p. 37
[5] Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 80
[6] For example; Halai, Mounichia,and Aristoboule in Athens. Léger, R. 2011. p. 37
[7] Lloyd-Jones, H. 1983. "Artemis and Iphigeneia." The Journal of Hellenic Studies 103: p. 93
[8] Lloyd-Jones, H. 1983. p. 92
[9] Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 80
[10] Lloyd-Jones, H. 1983. p. 95
[11] Ekroth, G. 2003. "Inventing Iphigeneia? on Euripides and the Cultic Construction of Brauron." Kernos 16: p. 96
[12] Hollinshead, M. B. B. 1979. p. 61
[13] Sourvinou-Inwood, C. 1988. Studies in girls´ transitions. Aspects of the Arkteia and age representation in Attic Iconography. Athens 1988. As cited in Ekroth, G. 2003. p. 90-91
[14] Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 86
[15] See Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 89-91; p. 103
[16] Nielsen, I. 2009. p. 105
[17] Léger, R. 2011. p. 20-21
[18] Hollinshead, M. B. B. 1979. p. 55
[19] Cole, S. G. 1998. "Domesticating Artemis." Chap. 3, In The Sacred and the Feminine in Ancient Greece, edited by S. Blundell and M. Williamson, 24-38. London and New York: Routledge. p. 34
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