Sanctuaries and the Sacred in the Ancient Greek World

This book explores the variety of ancient Greek sanctuaries--their settings, spaces, shapes, and structures--and the rituals associated with them, such as festivals and processions, sacrifice and libation, dining and drinking, prayer and offering, dance, initiation, consultation, and purification. Subsequent chapters trace the consequences of the Roman conquest, the triumph of Christianity, as well as the impact of Turks, travelers, archaeologists, and tourists on these sites. Featuring an exhaustive glossary and bibliography, the volume provides an accessible, authoritative introduction to ancient Greek sanctuaries and their ritual activities.
This 2005 book explores the variety of ancient Greek sanctuaries - their settings, spaces, shapes, and structures.
John Pedley is Emeritus Professor of Classical Archaeology and Greek, at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is the author of numerous articles and books, among them Greek Art and Archaeology, now in its third edition. Former director of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, he has received fellowships and grants from the American Council of Learned Societies, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Philosophical Society.
"The straightforward and graphic presentation of the subject will strike most readers as both inviting and engaging."
Signe Isager, The Classical Bulletin