Filters of Light
Greek Temple Doors as Portals of Epiphany
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20087775 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Christina Williamson (0000-0001-5922-1957, Centre de Recherches Historiques, corresponding author), Christina G Williamson |
| Year | 2018 |
| Pages | 309-340 |
| Publication date | 2018-06-28 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | Sacred Thresholds: The Door to the Sanctuary in Late Antiquity (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Brill (PUBLISHER • NL) |
| DOI | 10.1163/9789004369009_013 |
| OpenAlex | W2905676053 |
| ISBN | 9789004369009 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
In the ancient Greek world contact with the divine was primarily regulated through the ritual of sacrifice and the exchange it represented. Temples were not essential to places of cult, but those that had them were clearly dominated by them and they lent prestige to their local communities. Once studied primarily for their exterior architecture and perfection of design, temples are increasingly considered an integral part of the ritual context of the Greek sanctuary. This extends to their interiors and the rituals that took place there that revolved around the cult image, such as prayer. All of this makes the question of the role of their doorways especially pertinent. This chapter briefly examines the function of Greek temples and the issue of how accessible they were to the public at large, as well as the general attraction of the entrance in relation to the cult image. Although the cult images were considered as works of art, they were at the same time imbued with the energeia of the divine. Doorways did much more than provide access -- they illumined and framed the image, preparing the visitor for the epiphany. Concepts such as the 'doorway effect' and 'guided perception' are used to explore how this worked; two exceptional temples, the Knidian sanctuary of Aphrodite and the temple of Apollo at Didyma, further serve to highlight the pivotal role of doorways in the conception of the divine
Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Classical Antiquity Studies · Computer Science · Historical and Architectural Studies
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2024 - 2025 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |