The Harvard University Press edition (1985), translated from
the German by John Raffan, is not for the faint of heart.
This is an extremely scholarly look at the religion of the
ancient Greeks, and details over 400 pages of information
and sources. This edition has a stunning 150 pages of
endnotes/bibliography attached - a most welcome change from
many of the Pagan 101 books that are being published.
Up front, my one complaint on this book is the reliance on
non-English works for information. While I haven't gone in
search of translations, and they may be out there, the
reader does need to be aware that Burkert draws heavily from
non-English sources that may be difficult to locate.
However, this complaint is a very minor one and isn't
totally unexpected. It also isn't a reason for readers who
are looking for a serious view of Greek religion to skip
this book.
One word of warning, this author is considered one of the
primary sources for Hellenic Reconstructionists. As such,
much of the information included in Greek Religion may go
directly against much of what readers will find being
published by Occult/New Age publishers or on websites
(sacrifices, the triple goddess concept and lack of magic in
religious observations comes to mind). Burkert's treatment
of Hellenic deities, beliefs and cultic practices may be an
eye opener for some, but his academic background is solid
and his sources are good, scholarly and track quite well
with what is known of religious practices/beliefs of the
time.
The author takes the reader through a brief introduction
that gives a taste of things to come in the body of the
book. Touching on some of the various late 19th and early 20th
century schools of thought on Greek religion, the reader
gets a glimpse of what influenced some of the modern beliefs
and misconceptions of the cultic practices in Greece.
Greek Religion covers seven well-researched sections, with
numerous sub-sections under each. The sections (and some
sub-sections) included are:
1. Prehistory and the Minoan-Mycenean Age (cultic places,
Minoan/Mycenean deities, Linear B and the dark ages)
2. Ritual and Sanctuary (various ritual practices, religious
offerings/sanctuaries and oracles/seers)
3. The Gods (self-explanatory, but a superb look at the
Olympians and minor and nature deities)
4. The Dead, Heroes, and Chthonic Gods (burial customs,
afterlife mythology and Herakles)
5. Polis and Polytheism (festival calendar and description
of the various festivals included in the Athenian calendar)
6. Mysteries and Asceticism (sanctuaries, family mysteries
and a look at the Eleusinian, and Bacchic mysteries)
7. Philosophical Religion (a view of the various Greek
philosophers and their impact on the Ancient Greek cultic
practices)
As that brief listing shows, this book is jam packed with
information, and isn't a light or fast read. Burkert brings
together a huge amount of information, but does it in such a
way that the reader is most likely to want more. The
endnotes and sources give the reader that option, and he has
authored several other books that address some of the listed
sections in greater detail.
Exceptionally well thought out and with superb attention to
detail, Greek Religion is a must for anyone who is looking
for historical information on the Ancient Greek cultic
practices and beliefs.
Reviewed by LyricFox
Additional Books by Walter Burkert
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