Sacrifices

• What did the Greeks offer to honor the gods?

  Gifts of money, songs, and war booty
• What was a popular offering to the gods?

  The gift of food through animal sacrifice
• What is the main way food was offered to the gods?

  Through the killing of an animal
• What are the stages involved in a blood sacrifice?

  Preparation, kill, sharing of the sacrifice
• What type of animal was usually chosen for sacrifice?

  A domestic animal belonging to the sacrificer
• Why might a household restrict their sacrifices to chickens and piglets?

  Because some animals were cheaper than others
• What is a hecatomb?

  A sacrifice of one hundred oxen
• What festivals featured the hecatomb sacrifice?

  The Great Panathenaia and Olympic Games
• What was the approximate cost of a hecatomb in drachmae?

  8,000 drachmae
• What are the three parts of a sacrifice?

  Preparation, kill, sharing of the sacrifice
• What did participants do to ensure they did not pollute the sacrifice?

  They ensured they were clean and well-dressed
• What did attendants carry during the sacrifice procession?

  A basket full of barley grains or cakes
• Why were musicians included in the sacrifice procession?

  To reduce the chance of the animal getting scared
• What happens if the sacrificial animal becomes frightened?

  The whole sacrifice must be started again
• What was lit upon arrival at the sanctuary?

  The fire at the altar
• What did the chief sacrificer do to the animal before the kill?

  Uttered a prayer and poured water on its head
• What was the significance of the animal nodding its head?

  It symbolized the animal's agreement to the sacrifice
• What was done with the animal's hairs before the kill?

  They were thrown into the fire
• How was the blood of the animal handled during the sacrifice?

  It was poured over the altar
• What did women do at the time of the animal's death?

  Let out a high-pitched scream
• What was the first portion of the meat given to after the sacrifice?

  The god for whom the sacrifice was intended
• Why did the gods receive bones and fat instead of meat?

  It was explained by the myth of Prometheus
• What was done with the entrails of the animal after the sacrifice?

  They were read for omens and then cooked
• What happened to the remaining meat after the sacrifice?

  It was cut up, cooked, and shared
• Why was meat considered a rare opportunity for Greeks?

  It was not a normal part of their diet
• What does the communal sharing of the sacrifice emphasize?

  The communal spirit and benefits of sacrifice
• What was done with the animal skin after the feast?

  It was given to the sanctuary