Greek Mysteries: The Archaeology of Ancient Greek Secret Cults

Mystery cults represent the spiritual attempts of the ancient Greeks to deal with their mortality. The phenomenon is by no means restricted to Greece, but it is in Greece that it found its most profound philosophical explanation and justification. Given the lack of written testimonia, we rely on archaeology in trying to decipher the secrets of those mysteric cults. In the last few years, research in ancient Greek mystery cults has made serious advances thanks to a number of new analytical studies and archaeological discoveries in sanctuaries where mysteric cults where practiced. This volume showcases the results of the new research by allowing scholars, and specialists the opportunity to present their work and to place their research with the general context of Greek mystery cults. Through its wide chronological range (from the Bronze Age to the Roman Imperial period) and broad geographical coverage (Greece and Greek Asia Minor), the book reconstructs the development of ideological and ritual practice over time and space. Although the major cults, such as Eleusis and Samothrace, figure prominently in such a volume, a conscious effort has been made to discuss in detail the strikingly large number of lesser mysteric cults and deities, in order to contribute to the understanding of Greek mystery cults as a whole.