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History, Archaeology and Belief

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    History, Archaeology and Belief

    I was just wondering how people work with their concepts of the Graeco-Roman Gods. How do you construct your belief? Is it a modern personal relationship and if so how? Do you read history books or books like Robert Graves The Greek Myths or do you actually consider Archaeological finds and take a reconstructionist approach? If so how much of your ritual is determined by the archaeology and what poetic licence do you take?

    I'm a final year classics student and personally, the more I learn, the more I find my ways of worship and concept of the Gods becoming more solidified and I am tempted to rail against that.

    Thoughts?

    #2
    Re: History, Archaeology and Belief

    I use myths as the launching point for flights of the imagination.

    But I understand your feelings about Graves. As a historian, he's... uhm... unreliable. He used his version of history to prove his version of history.
    Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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      #3
      Re: History, Archaeology and Belief

      History plays a big role in the rituals that it can. Certain thing, specifically those concerning Dionysus, are based more off from UPG and my interpretation of the myths. I also tend to look at the ecstatic religions and rituals we know more about. For example a lot of my Dionysian rituals are inspired by Freyr, Freya and seidhr. I've been blessed with a multitude of Heathen and seidkona friends.

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        #4
        Re: History, Archaeology and Belief

        Originally posted by Claude View Post
        History plays a big role in the rituals that it can. Certain thing, specifically those concerning Dionysus, are based more off from UPG and my interpretation of the myths. I also tend to look at the ecstatic religions and rituals we know more about. For example a lot of my Dionysian rituals are inspired by Freyr, Freya and seidhr. I've been blessed with a multitude of Heathen and seidkona friends.
        So why Freyr, Freya and Seidhr, which come from a rather distant culture, rather than rituals such as the Lupercalia in Rome?

        - - - Updated - - -

        Originally posted by B. de Corbin View Post
        I use myths as the launching point for flights of the imagination.

        But I understand your feelings about Graves. As a historian, he's... uhm... unreliable. He used his version of history to prove his version of history.
        he did yes. He used it to push his white-goddess theory. Though if you get a decent copy, I recommend the one from the folio society, it separates his own analysis from the myths themselves and has references for the archaeological finds

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          #5
          Re: History, Archaeology and Belief

          Originally posted by Antarcticwolf View Post
          I was just wondering how people work with their concepts of the Graeco-Roman Gods. How do you construct your belief? Is it a modern personal relationship and if so how? Do you read history books or books like Robert Graves The Greek Myths or do you actually consider Archaeological finds and take a reconstructionist approach? If so how much of your ritual is determined by the archaeology and what poetic licence do you take?

          I'm a final year classics student and personally, the more I learn, the more I find my ways of worship and concept of the Gods becoming more solidified and I am tempted to rail against that.

          Thoughts?
          Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
          sigpic

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            #6
            Re: History, Archaeology and Belief

            Originally posted by Antarcticwolf View Post
            I was just wondering how people work with their concepts of the Graeco-Roman Gods. How do you construct your belief? Is it a modern personal relationship and if so how? Do you read history books or books like Robert Graves The Greek Myths or do you actually consider Archaeological finds and take a reconstructionist approach? If so how much of your ritual is determined by the archaeology and what poetic licence do you take?
            For me the myths are important as they convey underlying cultural and sociological perspectives and indicators. Yet they also convey a sense of the evolution of a god's / goddess' worship and persona's across time and location. While I don't read them in absolutes there are some suggested absolutes with regards to interactions and acceptable practices and expectations.

            Archaeological evidence though is a major influence in verifying UPG. Given that in most reclaiming or recreating archaic god / goddess aspects archaeology is a must in statuary and pottery motifs, substantial in utilizing coins / medals / seals in working with cultural norms and urban mythos. Even associations of a gods / goddesses area of influence and purpose for said sanctuary / temple / sacred garden / etc.

            My rituals and ceremonies tend to align a lot with archaic practices when there is sufficient material to reconstruct it. Not to say that all aspects of it are kept such as animal sacrifice in its archaic form. I tend to follow archaic practices with regards to kneeling and speaking to the earth for chthonic gods / goddesses in ceremony or standing and speaking upward with regards to celestial gods / goddesses. Sacrifices, offerings and libations may be reflective of archaic items or methods such as chthonic being in a sunken depression or hole in the ground, celestial upon a raised altar and transmuted via flame.
            I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

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              #7
              Re: History, Archaeology and Belief

              Even though I'm far from reconstructionist, I am attentive to history. I enjoy history, I enjoy the narratives it forms, and I enjoy the insight it gives to people of the past. And, being a worshipper of the gods of ancient cultures, history is pretty damn important to me on a religious basis. Even though I practise a definably modern religion, with a Frazerian mythology, I try to be attentive to the historical mythology and culture from which those gods derive. Their history, their myths, and modern fields such as anthropology and archaeology really can provide insight, I feel, into the gods I worship. And ultimately that is what my religion is about for me: insight and connection to the gods.

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