Myth and Cult: The Iconography of the Eleusinian Mysteries: the Martin P. Nilsson Lectures on Greek Religion, Delivered 19-21 November 1990 at the Swedish Institute at Athens

213 Pages·1992·18.415 MB·English

by  Kevin Clinton

SKRIFTER UTGIVNA AV
SVENSKA INSTITUTET I AT HEN
ACTA INSTITUTI ATHENIENSJS REGNI SUECIAE
8°, XI
Kevin Clinton_
,,.. .,,,.
1/
MYTHA ND CUL
The Iconography of the Eleusinian Mysteries

SKRIFfER UTGIVNA AV SVENSKA lNSTlTUTET I ATHEN. 8, XI
ACTA I STJTUTI ATHE 0 X1
,
Myth and Cult
The Iconography of the Eleusinian Mysteries
The Martin P. Nilsson Lecture on Greek Religion.
delivered 19-21 November 1990 at the
Swedi h In titute at Athen
by
Kevin Clinton
TOCKHOL 19 2
Di tributor Paul trom forlag
a
tra Hamnga1an . - 41 I 17 oteborg. weden
Editorial Committee: Prof. Tullia Linders. Uppsala. Chairman: Prof. Paul Astrom, Goteborg, Vice-chairman;
Mrs. Inez Hagbarth, Stockholm, Treasurer; Dr. Charlotte Scheffer. Secretary; Prof. Birger Bergh, Lund; Prof.
Birgina Bergquist, Stockholm: Prof. Jerker Blomqvist, Lund: Miss Gunnel Ekroth, Stockholm; Prof. Par
Goran Gierow, Lund; Prof. Robin Hligg. Athens; Prof. Carl Nylander, Rome.
Secratary's address: Department of Ancient Culture and Society, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stock
holm, Sweden.
Editor: Dr. Brita Alroth, Uppsala.
Distributor: Paul Astroms Forlag, Vlistra Hamngatan 3. S-4-11 17 Goteborg, Sweden.
Recommended abbreviation for this series: ActaAth-8°.
Published with the aid of a grant from
the Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Abstract
Clinton, Kevin. Myth and Cull. The Iconography of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The Martin P. Nilsson uctures
on Greek Religion, delivered /9-2/ November /990 at the Swedish Institute at Athens. Sk.rifter utgivna av
Svenska lnstitutet i Athen. 8", 11. Stockholm 1992, 209 pp., 12 ills., 52 pls. ISBN9 1-7916-025-5
Iconography serves as the starting part for the treatment of central aspects of the myth and cuh of the Eleu
sinian Mysteries.
1ne presence of the Minhless Rock in artistic representations, its location in the sanctuary, and its relation
to the Callichoron Well provide a perspective for assessing the aetiological elements in the Homeric Hymn 10
Demeter and the relation of the Hymn to Eleusis.
The iconography of Eubouleus, lakchos, and Eumolpos is established, and that of Triptolemos and Ploutos
is discussed extensively.
The imponance of Eubouleus in artistic representations is seen to correspond to his imponance in the Mys
teries, and the identification of him in certain scenes reveals his function in the myth of the Mysteries. Discus
sion of his role in the Thesmophoria leads to an examination of the relation of the Mysteries to the Thesmo
phoria.
The various roles of all these figures in artistic representations provide a basis for revised interpretations of
several works of art, and these interpretations arc exploited in tum to gain a more precise idea of the myth that
was enacted in the Mysteries and to speculate on how it was enacted.
Key words: Greek religion, Mysteries, iconography. Eleusis. Thesmophoria. Demeter, Kore, Triptolemos,
Ploutos. lakchos, Eubouleus, Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Telesterion, Attic vases.
Kevin Clinton. Cornell Unfrersity, Department of Classics, Goldwin Smith Hall. Ithaca. NY 14853-320/.
USA.
ISBN 91-7916-025-5
ISSN 0081-9921
© 1992 Svenska lnstitutet i Athen
Printed in Sweden by
Te,i.tgruppen i Uppsala AB, 1992
To my parents
John and Mary Clinton

Contents
Preface ..................................................................................................................... 7
Abbreviations and Select Bibliography ................................................................... 11
Chapter I. Sacred Landscape .................................................................................. 13
I. Introduction . ..... .. . .... . ... . ... . . ... . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . ... . ... . . . . . . .. . . ... . . . . . . .. . . .. . 13
II. 'AytAaato; Ottpa. .......................................................................................... 14
III. Callichoron Well ........................................................................................... 27
IV. The Homeric Hymn: a Re-evaluation............................................................ 28
Chapter 2. Eleusinian Gods ..................................................................................... 38
I. Introduction . ... . ..... ... . ... . ... .. ... ... . . .. . . ... . .. . . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . ... . . .. . . ... . .. . . ... . . .. . . .. . 3 8
II. The Youth in the Great Eleusinian Relief ...................................................... 39
The Attributes of Triptolemos ... .... ......... .... .... ......... .... .... ..... ......... ... .. .. . ... . .... 41
Attributes of Triptolemos in Non-Attic Representations .............................. 45
Attributes of Triptolemos: Summary ............................................................ 47
The Finding Place of the Relief . ..... ... .... .. ... . ... .... .... .. ... ... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... ... . .... 48
Recent Proposals ........................................................................................... 49
Ploutos ........................................................................................................... 49
The ukrateides Relief .................................................................................. 51
The Significance of Eleusinian Ploutos ........................................................ 53
Ploutos in the Great Eleusinian Relief .......................................................... 54
III. Eubouleus . ... ... . .... ..... ......... .. . . ... . .... ... . .... . ... . . . . .. .. . ... . . ... . ... . . .. . . .. . . .. . . ... . ... . . ... . ... . 56
IV. Eubouleus. the Thesmophoria, and the Mysteries ........................................ 59
Chapter 3. More Gods. the Scenes, and the Myth of the Mysteries . .... .. .... ... .. .... .... 64
I. lakchos ............................................................................................................. 64
lakchos: The Boston Stamnos ...................................................................... . 68
lakchos: Other Vase Paintings .................................................................... .. 69
lakchos: Sculptural Representations ........................................................... .. 70
lakchos: Conclusion ..................................................................................... . 71
II. Eubouleus in the Fifth Century ..................................................................... .. 71
Eubouleus in the Cult Myth: Conclusions .................................................... . 72
III. The Ninnion Tablet ...................................................................................... . 73
IV. Eumolpos .................................................................................................... .. 75
Eumolpos: Other Identifications, Possible or Unlikely ................................ . 76
Eumolpos: Conclusion ................................................................................. . 78
V. lnrerpretation of Eleusinian Scenes ............................................................... . 78
V.A. Arrays of Gods .................................................................................... . 78
Regina Vasorum .................................................................................. . 78
St. Petersburg Pelike ............................................................................ . 81
Other "Arrays" ..................................................................................... . 82
V.B. Celebration of Ploutos ........................................................................ .. 83
V.C. Return of Kore ..................................................................................... . 84
VI. The Sacred Drama .. . .... ..... ... ..... .... ......... ... . ... . .... ..... ... . ... . . ... . ..... .. . ...... .. . ... .. .... 84
VII. Artistic Representalions and the Secrets of the Mysteries ........................... 90
VIII. The Binh of a Child in the Mysteries ......................................................... 91
Chapter 4. Conclusions . .... .... ......... ... . . .. . .... . ... . ... . ... . . ... . . .. . ... . ... . .... . . .. . ... . . ... . . .. . ..... .... 96
I. Iconography ..................................................................................................... 96
II. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter ...................................................................... 96
Appendix I. Triptolemos as Child . . .. .. .. . .. .... .. .. ... ..... ... .... .. .. .. ......... ... ... .. ... .. ... .. .... ... 100
Appendix 2. The Age of Ploutos ..... ... ..... ..... ... . .... ... .. .... ........ .... .... . .... .... ... .. .... .... .... 103
Appendix 3. Plouton and Hades in An ................................................................... 105
I. Iconography ... ..... .... .... ..... ... . ........ ..... ... . .... ... . . .. . . .... .... . ... . . .. . ... . ... . ..... .... ..... ... .... l 05
Plouton and Hades in LJMC ........................................................................1..0 7
II. Plouton in Eleusinian Scenes .. .... ..... ... . .. .. . . .. . ... . ... . . .. . ... . .. ... . . ... . .. .. .. . ... . . .. .. .. . . ... l 1 I
III. Hydria in London (British Museum E 183) .................................................. l l 2
Appendix 4. Theos and Thea ........ ... .... ......... .... .... ..... ........ .... ....................... ........... 114
Appendix 5. Hekate at Eleusis ......... ... ...... ............................. .... .... .............. .... .... ... I 16
Appendix 6. The "Omphalos" and the Cult of Dionysus in Eleusis ....................... l 2 l
I. The •·omphalos" . ................................................ ... .................. .... ......... ........... 121
II. The Cult of Dionysus in Eleusis .. .... .... ................. ..... ........ .... . ... .......... .... .... ... l 23
Appendix 7. The Name of the Telesterion ... .... .... .......... ... .... . .... ..... ........ ..... .... ..... .. 126
. AvaK'topov: Testimonia . ... .... . .... .... . ... . .... .... .... .... ..... .... .... . ... . ... . .... .... ...... ... .... . ... l 28
Catalogs . ........ .... ..... .... .... .... .... ..... ........ .... . .... .... .... .... . . .. . .... .... ..... .... .... .... ...... ........ ... l 33
Eleusinian Ploutos in Attic Vase Painting........................................................... 133
Eleusinian Ploutos in Attic Sculpture .. .... ..... .... ......... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .......... ... .... 134
Eubouleus in Anic Vase Painting: Fourth Century ............................................. 134
Eubouleus in Attic Vase Painting: Fifth Century................................................ 135
Eubouleus in Sculpture .. .......... ........ .... . .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... ..... .... ............. ........ 135
Iakchos in Attic Vase Painting ............................................................................ 136
lake hos in Sculpture .. ..... ........ ..... .... .... ... . . ... . ... . ... . ... . ..... .... .... . ... . ... . ... . ..... ... . .... .... 136
la.kch os on Attic Coins .. .... .......... ... . .... ..... ... . ... . ... . . ... . .... ... .... . ..... .... ... . ..... ... . .... .... 138
Eumolpos in Attic Vase Painting ........................................................................ 138
Eumolpos in Sculpture .. .... ...... .... .... .... . ... . ... .... . ... . .... . .... .... .... ..... ... . ... . ..... ... . ........ 139
List of Illustrations ... . . ... . ... . ... . . .... .. .. .. . . .... ... . ... . . ... . ... .... .. .... .... .... ... . ... . .... . ... . . ... . .... .... l 41
List of Figures .. . ... . ... . . .. . . ... . ... . . .. . . .. . . ... . .. . . ... . . .. . . .. . . ... .... .. ... . .. . . .... . .. . . .. . . ... . ... . . ... . ..... ... 142
Indices ..................................................................................................................... 144
L/MC ................................................................................................................1..4. 4
Collections ........................................................................................................... 146
Passages . ... . ..... ... . ..... ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . .... ..... .. .. ... . . ... ... . . ... . . ... .... .. . . ..... ... . . ... . . ... . .. . . .. . . .. . l 50
General . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . ... . ... . ... . . .. . . .. . . ... . .. . . ... . ... . .. . . . ... . ... . ... . .. .. ... . . . .. . ... . .. .. . . .. . . ... . .. . . .. . 154
Plates ....................................................................................................................... 157