Mycenaean Burnt Animal Sacrifice at Eleusis

Burnt animal sacrifice is well attested in Greek historical times, but whether it was practised in the Mycenaean period is debated. Until now, the lack of architectural structures suitable for the ritual burning of animals and the ambiguity surrounding the interpretation of burnt faunal assemblages have been used as arguments against the occurrence of such sacrifices in the Late Bronze Age. In this paper, it is proposed that the platform in front of the Mycenaean Megaron B at Eleusis was an altar used for burnt animal sacrifices and that a group of burnt pig bones found in a drain in front of this platform was burnt ritually on the platform and then swept into the drain.     

清宫萨满祭祀的仪式与神话研究

本文通过对清宫萨满祭祀仪式与满族天宫大战神话的关联分析,论述了满洲中心观的神话学依据,并进一步考察乾隆年间清王朝自身对清宫萨满祭祀与中国上古以来的仪式体系之关系的解释,以说明使得满洲中心观得以成立的宫廷化进程,同时也将自身纳入到了华夏文明的历史与结构当中。     

History as Sacrifice: The Polynesian Iconoclasm

ABSTRACT The Polynesian iconoclasm comprised a series of destructive episodes in which god‐images were rendered powerless and temples and associated structures were successively burned or torn down in Eastern Polynesia. Beginning in Tahiti and neighbouring Mo'orea in 1815, it spread rapidly to other Society Islands, the Austral Islands and the Southern Cook Islands. In this article I suggest that the willingness of Polynesian leaders to follow Tahitian precedence in destroying or unwrapping their god images can be partially explained by the fact that they saw themselves as participants in a large‐scale sacrifice, the common objective of which was the acquisition of greater mana and the consequent revitalisation of their societies. In making this argument I engage with anthropological theories that address relationships between sacrifice and historical transformation. I conclude by proposing that the Polynesian iconoclasm was a form of rituopraxis comprising regionally specific improvisations upon a general ritual schema.     

试论先秦农业祭祀

农业祭祀作为自然崇拜的高级形态,兴起于原始农耕成为人们衣食主要来源之后.中国以农立国,古人对天体天象、大地山川甚或自然百物的崇拜也往往围绕农业祭祀来进行.在农业祭祀中,祭祀社稷是其一大项目.祭祀社稷用血祭,即当场“披砾牲以祭”,至春秋时,除用牲畜,也用人祭.社稷之神在原始宗教最初指土地和谷物之魂,后来在阶级社会中逐渐升华为人格化的神,并与传说中的氏族英雄祖先合为一体.私有制的发展,社稷成为国家政权的象征和同义词,于是以土地神、地主神代替社神的土地崇拜,先农代替谷神的崇拜.     

奉献给先祖的牺牲--加去苗人牯脏节

在有文字记载之前,习俗就承担起传承文化的重任,引领人们一起寻找文化的曙光.     

宁安市满族关姓家族萨满祭祀调查

本文对黑龙江省宁安市满族关姓家庭萨满祭祀活动的全过程作了真实的记录。通过实地调查、现场采访,了解到萨满祭祀活动的程序、规则和诸多禁忌以及满族家祭活动得以延续、发展的主要原因。同时阐述了满族萨满祭祀对祖先的英雄崇拜,并揭示这一活动对族人产生凝聚力的巨大作用。     

周代裸礼的新证据 --介绍震旦艺术博物馆新藏的两件战国玉瓒

裸是周代祭祀中的重要仪节,而圭瓒和璋瓒则是行祼祭时所必备的礼器.本文首先分析了周代的裸祭之裸和祼飨之裸,认为以鬯祼地和以醴祼宾分别是裸祭和裸飨中的正献.本文又以震旦艺术博物馆新藏的两件战国玉瓒为契机,探讨了商周时期瓒类器物的形制和功能,着重指出文献所载的圭瓒和璋瓒可能是就其柄部形制而非柄部质料而言的.     

叶赫满族祭祖礼钩沉

满族祭祖之礼非常隆重,各家族之间的祭祖礼在具体程序和方式上多有不同,此次发现的叶赫那氏满族《本家族祭礼祖上之礼节》,具体展示了这个家族祭祖的特点。它的发现为我们提供了一份了解和研究满族民俗的有价值的资料。     

河南省体育场商代祭祀遗址发掘简报

2015年,郑州市文物考古研究院为配合河南省体育场网球馆项目建设,对该区域勘探所见的古代遗址进行了考古发掘。清理出环壕、夯土墙、建筑基址、祭祀场、祭祀坑、灰坑、墓葬等丰富的商代文化遗迹,出土了铜器、玉器、石器、陶器、骨器等重要遗物。河南省体育场商代遗址的祭祀遗存是近年来郑州商城最重要的新发现之一,这一祭祀遗址的发现为郑州商城的研究提供了非常重要的新资料。     

Kabit,Rimbu and Opa: Modalities of Anganen Sacrifice1

ABSTRACT At the time of colonisation and missionisation that quickly saw their abandonment, the Anganen practised two male exclusive cults in which animals were sacrificed in the hope of influencing powerful spirits. One cult, kabit, was only staged to overcome serious affliction thought to be sent by the spirits to individuals of subclans or women married into them. That is, it was a reaction to spirit power. The other cult, rimbu, while practised in response to widespread problems of humans, pigs and gardens, was also undertaken in the hope of increased health and productivity, and thus a possible action as well as a reaction. The paper describes and compares the cults. One major theme is male empowerment, as rimbu not only underwrites male power over others, it is also about empowerment to act on the world as well. While obviously radically different in many respects, at least in local consciousness, the adoption of opa, the giving of money, produce and labour to the church, has resonance with the pre‐colonial situation. Mostly it is undertaken to please what the Anganen see as a vengeful God based on Old Testament stories. However, on occasions such as the lead up to the yasolu pork distribution, the most prestigious event in Anganen, big men may ostentatiously present large gifts of money to missionaries or men may purchase cattle to slaughter, cook and distribute their meat on the opening of new churches. Both instances are beyond emulation by most in the community and, like rimbu may be, venues for male empowerment.     

清代满族皇帝对长白山的高度神化及其祭祀之礼

本文考察清代皇帝对长白山神化内容的延伸与扩大,及与此有关的祭祀制度和内容.具体论述:清代皇帝不仅把长白山列同中原五岳,而且论证长白山为中原泰山"龙脉"之根源,为本朝入主中原的合理性张本,构建其神化性根据,从而把长白山的神化提高到一个新的高度;另外,所制定的祭祀制度,则内容增加,而且祭祀频繁,成为清代长白山祭祀的重要特点.长白山的神圣性及其地位、在民间尤其是满族中的影响.也因此而大为提高.     

简论商代的社

依据甲骨卜辞和考古资料,我国目前最早的社祭遗存属于商代二里岗上层时期.在甲骨卜辞中,商代的社与战争有着密切的关系.一般说来,当时的社有不同的种类,有木质或石质的主.社神的地位要低于祖先神的地位,其祭品主要是人牲、牺牲、酒等,但还没有像后世那样明显的等级差别.     

Construction Sacrifice,Kidnapping and Head-hunting Rumors on Flores and Elsewhere in Indonesia

Three recent articles have examined head-hunting and kidnapping rumors in connection with construction sacrifice on Borneo and Flores. This paper presents further information on such rumors on Flores and elsewhere in Indonesia which largely confirms their interpretations. However, the argument is made that rather than being a new phenomenon and a product of the colonial era, these rumors may well have been characteristic of Indonesia from ancient times and have typically been associated with offices of political and military potency. Policies and activities of the Dutch near the Solor islands since the seventeenth century may have strongly reinforced suspicions that they were capable of taking heads through local agents.