文档介绍：GREEK MYSTERIES
Mystery cults represent the spiritual attempts of the ancient Greeks to deal with
their mortality. As these cults had to do with the individual’s inner self, privacy was
paramount and was secured by an initiation ceremony, a personal ritual that estab-
lished a close bond between the individual and the gods. Once initiated, the indi-
vidual was liberated from the fear of death by sharing the eternal truth, known only
to the immortals.
Because of the oath of silence taken by the initiates, a thick veil of secrecy covers
those cults and archaeology has e our main tool in deciphering their meaning.
In a field where archaeological research constantly brings new data to light, this
volume provides a close analysis of the most recent discoveries, as well as a critical
re-evaluation of the older evidence. The book focuses not only on the major cults
of Eleusis and Samothrace, but also on the lesser-known Mysteries in various parts of
Greece, over a period of almost two thousand years, from the Late Bronze Age to the
Roman Imperial period.
In our mechanized and technology-oriented world, a book on Greek spirituality
is both timely and appropriate. The authors’ inter-disciplinary approach extends
beyond the archaeological evidence to cover the textual and iconographic sources
and provides a better understanding of the history and rituals of those cults.
Written by an international team of acknowledged experts, Greek Mysteries is an
important contribution to our understanding of Greek religion and society.
Michael B. Cosmopoulos is the Hellenic Government–Karakas Foundation Profes-
sor of Greek Studies and Professor of Greek Archaeology at the University of
Missouri-St. Louis. He has excavated at several ancient Greek sites and is the direc-
tor of three archaeological projects, at Eleusis, Oropos, and Iklaina. He has pub-
lished ten books and over seventy papers in archaeological journals and conference
proceedings. His recent publi