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M ycenaean Burnt Animal Sacrifice at E leusis
Author(s) -
Cosmopoulos Michael B.,
Ruscillo Deborah
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
oxford journal of archaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1468-0092
pISSN - 0262-5253
DOI - 10.1111/ojoa.12037
Subject(s) - altar , sacrifice , front (military) , interpretation (philosophy) , archaeology , period (music) , ancient history , history , art , geology , philosophy , aesthetics , linguistics , oceanography
Summary Burnt animal sacrifice is well attested in G reek historical times, but whether it was practised in the M ycenaean period is debated. Until now, the lack of architectural structures suitable for the ritual burning of animals and the ambiguity surrounding the interpretation of burnt faunal assemblages have been used as arguments against the occurrence of such sacrifices in the L ate B ronze A ge. In this paper, it is proposed that the platform in front of the M ycenaean M egaron B at E leusis was an altar used for burnt animal sacrifices and that a group of burnt pig bones found in a drain in front of this platform was burnt ritually on the platform and then swept into the drain.