You're right, it was a long one, but well worth the read. It sounds strange saying I've had an interest in sacrifices and how they were performed for a long time, but, well, I do. I have a novel waiting for me to tackle once I get my shit together. It takes place in Rome during the Claudian/Neronian age. I used Tacitus and the New Testament for working my plot out. The thing I didn't have was info on sacrifices. But that was all written before the internet. As I don't have anything more than grade 12, it took a lot of library time to find what I was looking for. And then they brought out computers you could have in your own home. Imagine how that idea excited me! I found Wikipedia was my best source for Roman sacrifices. My daughter said, "You do know the stuff on Wikipedia is written by anyone and everyone, right?" I said, "You know I'm writing fiction and it takes place 2000 years ago, right? Who cares if it's not right?" And I still hold to that. But this is insightful, because part of my story takes place in Parthia--you can't have a story about Rome and not have Parthia in it, right? I mean, Corbulo? My 'bad guy' goes to Parthia and becomes a hero, taking the name 'Parthicus' (much the same as Scipio became Africannus.) So yeah, I liked this!
Utterly fascinating. I think your theory as to the importance of the sacrificed hands makes a lot of sense--reminds me of the (alleged) Celtic tradition of drinking wine from your once-powerful enemy's skull, as a way of absorbing his martial and leadership abilities. An excellent article, all around.
Deep dive fascinating, Jacquie! Sacrifice is such a mind-blowing concept from both a cultic and psychological pov. Breath-letting is so elemental and unsettling.
Went to the Mithraeum in London recently and it looks like there was a sump to catch all that lovely hot bull’s blood. We’re they bathing?
Love the image of a deity as a hard to please lady, btw! 😂 I have a theory that a lot of this is rooted in the human gift for drawing analogies. Thanks so much for writing.
An article of staggering erudition! You should submit this to one of the archaeology magazines. On the subject of swords in the earth, I attended a lecture about 28 years ago in which a scholar who specialized in Uralic-Altaic folklore. He claimed there were Central Asian literary similarities to the Arthurian myth of a sacred sword being lodged in a rock awaiting extrication by a hero. He specifically alluded to the story of Attila the Hun. I’ve never really followed closely the King Arthur legend, but I believe it’s not originally native to the British Isles. It’s sort of a Dark Ages legend like Atlantis that started in Middle Europe or among the Franks, who just used England as an exotic remote setting for the series of stories.
You're right, it was a long one, but well worth the read. It sounds strange saying I've had an interest in sacrifices and how they were performed for a long time, but, well, I do. I have a novel waiting for me to tackle once I get my shit together. It takes place in Rome during the Claudian/Neronian age. I used Tacitus and the New Testament for working my plot out. The thing I didn't have was info on sacrifices. But that was all written before the internet. As I don't have anything more than grade 12, it took a lot of library time to find what I was looking for. And then they brought out computers you could have in your own home. Imagine how that idea excited me! I found Wikipedia was my best source for Roman sacrifices. My daughter said, "You do know the stuff on Wikipedia is written by anyone and everyone, right?" I said, "You know I'm writing fiction and it takes place 2000 years ago, right? Who cares if it's not right?" And I still hold to that. But this is insightful, because part of my story takes place in Parthia--you can't have a story about Rome and not have Parthia in it, right? I mean, Corbulo? My 'bad guy' goes to Parthia and becomes a hero, taking the name 'Parthicus' (much the same as Scipio became Africannus.) So yeah, I liked this!
Utterly fascinating. I think your theory as to the importance of the sacrificed hands makes a lot of sense--reminds me of the (alleged) Celtic tradition of drinking wine from your once-powerful enemy's skull, as a way of absorbing his martial and leadership abilities. An excellent article, all around.
Deep dive fascinating, Jacquie! Sacrifice is such a mind-blowing concept from both a cultic and psychological pov. Breath-letting is so elemental and unsettling.
Went to the Mithraeum in London recently and it looks like there was a sump to catch all that lovely hot bull’s blood. We’re they bathing?
Love the image of a deity as a hard to please lady, btw! 😂 I have a theory that a lot of this is rooted in the human gift for drawing analogies. Thanks so much for writing.
An article of staggering erudition! You should submit this to one of the archaeology magazines. On the subject of swords in the earth, I attended a lecture about 28 years ago in which a scholar who specialized in Uralic-Altaic folklore. He claimed there were Central Asian literary similarities to the Arthurian myth of a sacred sword being lodged in a rock awaiting extrication by a hero. He specifically alluded to the story of Attila the Hun. I’ve never really followed closely the King Arthur legend, but I believe it’s not originally native to the British Isles. It’s sort of a Dark Ages legend like Atlantis that started in Middle Europe or among the Franks, who just used England as an exotic remote setting for the series of stories.
This is so fascinating. I love these deep dives into history and mythology. Thanks for sharing. 🙂