Dedications at ancient Dodona

Fotiadi, Maria (2018). Dedications at ancient Dodona. University of Birmingham. M.A.

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Abstract

The sanctuary of Dodona, the oldest of the Greek world, is located a few miles away from the present city of Ioannina. The close proximity of the site to my birthplace, made me wish to study further the history and the cult of Dodona. The oracle had a long lasting history, with the early finds dating back to the 13th century BC, with a course of distinct presence until the 4th century AD, when the pagan cult was replaced by the Christian religion. From the 8th century onwards, Dodona had a certain Greek cult activity, with interesting and rich dedications: bronze statuettes, statues, ex-voto, vessels, and valuable offerings. However, the earlier finds (weapons, ceremonial axes, miniature clay vessels) signify a primitive cult activity.

This thesis aims to present an overview of the offerings, interpret their significance, and reveal the character of the oracle through the finds. For the first time, a combined catalogue of more than 600 offerings, presents as a whole the variety of the finds. Moreover, I tried to explore the factors that affected the identity of the oracle and highlight the connection of Dodona with other areas or individuals. The decline of the sanctuary came with the Roman Invasion in 167 BC. Therefore, I had to stop at that point, when the evidence was limited and vague.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.A.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.A.

Supervisor(s):