Transforming Girls into Women
When I was seven, I immediately served as an arrephoros
Then, at ten, I was a aletris for Athena Archegetis.
Then, wearing the saffron dress, I was a bear at the Brauronia.
And once I, a beautiful child, was a basket-carrier, wearing a necklace of dried figs. (Aristophanes, Lysistrata, 641-7)
This quote from the play Lysistrata by Artistophanes shows that young girls have different roles at different ages in the rituals of the Athenian religious calendar. The third line refers to the Arkteia festival, which could be celebrated both on the Acropolis or at Brauron, where the main sanctuary for Artemis Brauronia was located. This festival is viewed in different ways by researchers. In this article the foundation myth of the festival is explored and the ritual activities are discussed. First, the most important place of the festival (the Artemis sanctuary at Brauron) is demonstrated.
The sanctuary at Brauron
The main sanctuary of Artemis is located in the Attic village of Brauron, in the deme Philaïdai about 32 kilometers southwest of Athens. This was the place where once every four years the festival of the Arkteia was celebrated. In Athens itself, on the Acropolis, there was also a shrine to Artemis Brauronia.
The votive offerings that were found at Brauron suggest that the cult was already introduced in the 9th or 8th century. The first cult activities had likely concentrated around the sacred spring and a cave. The archaeological remains that are still visible at the site are dated to the 5th century and linked to the cult of Artemis Brauronia. The foundations of the 5th century temple for Artemis were excavated between 1948 and 1962. Another important feature of the site is the Π-shaped stoa. In the North and West side were small rooms, probably meant for dining or sleeping by the young girls.
The stoa had three colonnaded wings around an open courtyard. The south side did not feature a colonnade, because the temple terrace was there. Behind the north and west wing there was a portico through which the small rooms could be entered.
The main sanctuary of Artemis is located in the Attic village of Brauron, in the deme Philaïdai about 32 kilometers southwest of Athens. This was the place where once every four years the festival of the Arkteia was celebrated. In Athens itself, on the Acropolis, there was also a shrine to Artemis Brauronia.
The votive offerings that were found at Brauron suggest that the cult was already introduced in the 9th or 8th century. The first cult activities had likely concentrated around the sacred spring and a cave. The archaeological remains that are still visible at the site are dated to the 5th century and linked to the cult of Artemis Brauronia. The foundations of the 5th century temple for Artemis were excavated between 1948 and 1962. Another important feature of the site is the Π-shaped stoa. In the North and West side were small rooms, probably meant for dining or sleeping by the young girls.
The stoa had three colonnaded wings around an open courtyard. The south side did not feature a colonnade, because the temple terrace was there. Behind the north and west wing there was a portico through which the small rooms could be entered.
Foundation
myth
The story went that a she-bear was given to the sanctuary of Artemis and was tamed. Once there was a little girl playing with the bear and the bear scratched out her eyes.The girl’s brothers, in grief for her, killed the bear. And then a famine befell the Athenians. The Athenians inquired at the Oracle of Delphi as to its cause and Apollo revealed that Artemis was angry at them for killing the bear. As punishment and to appease her, every Athenian girl must “play the bear” for Artemis before marriage. And so the Athenians voted that an Athenian girl was not to live with a man until she “played the bear” for Artemis in Brauron.
The story went that a she-bear was given to the sanctuary of Artemis and was tamed. Once there was a little girl playing with the bear and the bear scratched out her eyes.The girl’s brothers, in grief for her, killed the bear. And then a famine befell the Athenians. The Athenians inquired at the Oracle of Delphi as to its cause and Apollo revealed that Artemis was angry at them for killing the bear. As punishment and to appease her, every Athenian girl must “play the bear” for Artemis before marriage. And so the Athenians voted that an Athenian girl was not to live with a man until she “played the bear” for Artemis in Brauron.
Rites de
passage
In a lot of cultures, girls underwent a kind of ritual to become a woman. In Greek culture this was not any different. Young girls only became women after they had attended the ritual at the Arkteia festival in Brauron. Athenian girls married in their fifteenth year, but the age at which they joined in the Arkteia is under discussion. One important source for the ageing of the young girls are the krateriskoi. Those are the vases that look like miniature craters with a high pedestal foot and double handles. This vase type is found at different sanctuaries, that were linked to Artemis like the Artemis sanctuary at Brauron, Mounichia and the Acropolis. Probably the vase depictions at the krateriskoi show some of the rituals that were performed at the sanctuaries.
The depiction of the girls varies, from girls with short hair and a short chiton, which are interpretated as prepubertal girls, and girls with long hair, which are identified as pubertal maidens of marriageable age. The literary sources, like the quote of Aristophanes at the beginning of this article, suggest that the girls were between five and ten years of age. Another problem is that some girls are depicted nude and others wear a chiton. This was likely part of the ritual to become a girl of marriageable age.
In a lot of cultures, girls underwent a kind of ritual to become a woman. In Greek culture this was not any different. Young girls only became women after they had attended the ritual at the Arkteia festival in Brauron. Athenian girls married in their fifteenth year, but the age at which they joined in the Arkteia is under discussion. One important source for the ageing of the young girls are the krateriskoi. Those are the vases that look like miniature craters with a high pedestal foot and double handles. This vase type is found at different sanctuaries, that were linked to Artemis like the Artemis sanctuary at Brauron, Mounichia and the Acropolis. Probably the vase depictions at the krateriskoi show some of the rituals that were performed at the sanctuaries.
The depiction of the girls varies, from girls with short hair and a short chiton, which are interpretated as prepubertal girls, and girls with long hair, which are identified as pubertal maidens of marriageable age. The literary sources, like the quote of Aristophanes at the beginning of this article, suggest that the girls were between five and ten years of age. Another problem is that some girls are depicted nude and others wear a chiton. This was likely part of the ritual to become a girl of marriageable age.
Importance of Artemis
The marriage of a girl was an important event in the life cycle of a girl. Why was this important event celebrated with a ritual for the goddess Artemis? Artemis was mostly depicted as a hunter with a deer. However, for women Artemis was also the goddess that took care of childbirth, the most important task of a woman: to give their husband heirs. The family was the basic unit of the polis (Greek city-state). Festivals and offers for having a good childbirth was then of concern of the whole polis.
The festival of the Arkteia initiated the girls formally into the cult of the goddess. With the ritual of playing the bear, they aimed to please Artemis and probably hoped for her help during their lifetime. The foundation myth also alludes to this function of the ritual. After giving birth to a child, women offered their clothes to Artemis. This can be either at the shrine of Artemis at the Acropolis or at the sanctuary of Brauron.
Conclusion
The Arkteia festival marked an important step in the lifetime of a Attic girl’s life. She had to go to the sanctuary at Brauron and celebrate the festival before she could get married. The ritual was probably meant to please Artemis and to call on her for help during the lifetime of a married woman.The literary sources and the krateriskoi give us some contemporary insights into the ritual. Even though I do think the main function of the Arkteia festival was an initiation rite for young girls, it was also part of the religion of the Greek city-state, which had the family at its base. Because of this, festivals that took care of the family were very important.
The marriage of a girl was an important event in the life cycle of a girl. Why was this important event celebrated with a ritual for the goddess Artemis? Artemis was mostly depicted as a hunter with a deer. However, for women Artemis was also the goddess that took care of childbirth, the most important task of a woman: to give their husband heirs. The family was the basic unit of the polis (Greek city-state). Festivals and offers for having a good childbirth was then of concern of the whole polis.
The festival of the Arkteia initiated the girls formally into the cult of the goddess. With the ritual of playing the bear, they aimed to please Artemis and probably hoped for her help during their lifetime. The foundation myth also alludes to this function of the ritual. After giving birth to a child, women offered their clothes to Artemis. This can be either at the shrine of Artemis at the Acropolis or at the sanctuary of Brauron.
Conclusion
The Arkteia festival marked an important step in the lifetime of a Attic girl’s life. She had to go to the sanctuary at Brauron and celebrate the festival before she could get married. The ritual was probably meant to please Artemis and to call on her for help during the lifetime of a married woman.The literary sources and the krateriskoi give us some contemporary insights into the ritual. Even though I do think the main function of the Arkteia festival was an initiation rite for young girls, it was also part of the religion of the Greek city-state, which had the family at its base. Because of this, festivals that took care of the family were very important.
References
Beaumont, L Childhood in Ancient Athens. Iconography and Social History (London 2012)
Dillon, M., Girls and women in classical Greek religion (London 2002)
Mikalson, J. Ancient Greek religion (Oxford 2005)
Price, S., Religion of the ancient Greeks (Cambridge 1999)
Written by P.H.
Beaumont, L Childhood in Ancient Athens. Iconography and Social History (London 2012)
Dillon, M., Girls and women in classical Greek religion (London 2002)
Mikalson, J. Ancient Greek religion (Oxford 2005)
Price, S., Religion of the ancient Greeks (Cambridge 1999)
Written by P.H.
Below you can find a video with the main finds of the Artemis sanctuary of Brauron. Those are now displayed at the archaeological museum at Brauron.