Animal sacrifice and feasting are considered key moments in the religious and social life of communities around the world, both in the past and present. These concepts have been heavily theorized, and a rich body of literature on specific case studies has been published. In Aegean prehistoric archaeology, both were introduced early on and they were primarily approached through iconography and, to a lesser extent, pottery. Animal bones, however, which provide direct material evidence for both practices, have been underutilized in this discourse. While individual bones (such as horn-cores) or bone assemblages from specific contexts have been linked to animal sacrifice and communal dining, this link has rarely been verified by zooarchaeological and contextual analysis. In recent years, meticulous excavation, detailed study and subsequent publication of Neopalatial sites on Crete have provided abundant and high-quality data that allow for the re-examination of both issues.
This lecture will discuss animal sacrifice and feasting by untangling ancient and modern notions on both, offering a critical review of the potential of animal remains to illuminate specific aspects of these practices. The discussion will be illustrated with examples from key, recently studied Neopalatial sites on Crete such as Alonaki-Juktas, Mochlos, Papadiokambos, and Chryssi and other older, confirmed cases. These sites vary in scale, character, and function, providing relevant evidence and facilitating a discussion of the different ways in which sacrifice and feasting could have been organized and perceived.
12:00 P.M. EST (U.S. and Canada); 7:00 P.M. Greek time. Zoom format
Please register for this lecture using the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/_Ww0sfBlSfud7t9W-NXAow