Mycenaean statues and their possible role in rituals

Jor­rit Kelder, Lei­den Uni­ver­sity, will give a pa­per en­ti­tled

Fac­ing the Gods.
Myce­naean stat­ues and their pos­si­ble role in rit­u­als.

The sem­i­nar takes place on Tues­day, April 28, 2026, at 17.00(Athens) in a hy­brid for­mat with live pres­ence at the Swedish In­sti­tute at Athens, Mit­seon 9, and on­line via Zoom.

Abstract

Given the ubiquity of terracotta figurines, it is commonly thought that these played
a major role in Mycenaean ritual. This paper argues that the focus on terracotta
figurines has obscured an important side of Mycenaean religious life and that
Mycenaean ritual also involved larger, and more elaborate, statues. These statues
were made from a variety of materials and were sometimes treated in ways that
seems to resemble later Greek practice. Because of their perishable nature, little of
these statues remains. Some parts have, however, been recovered by archaeologists.
By comparing those with textual and iconographic evidence, as well as to known
practices from nearby contemporary societies (such as those in Minoan Crete and
Hittite Anatolia), this paper aims to reconstruct the appearance of, and some of the
rituals that surrounded, Mycenaean cult statues.

To participate (in-person or via Zoom), please register at:
https://www.sia.gr/en/events.php?eid=563#ParticipationForm