The Burkert Interpretation of Animal Sacrifice

As in so many areas of ancient life, we cannot ascertain the exact process by which sacrifices were conducted in Ancient Greece. Sacrifice was such a commonplace occurrence for the Greeks that everyone knew the procedure, so nobody bothered to write it down. However, sacrifices conducted under special circumstances were occasionally recorded by ancient historians; in addition, poets would often allude to ceremonies and traditions in their works. By gleaning information from these and similar sources, scholars have been able to make reasonable reconstructions of a 'typical' sacrifice. Dr. Walter Burkert's interpretation presents a clear and concise outline of Greek animal sacrifice ritual. It is "a straightforward and far from miraculous process: the slaughter and consumption of a domestic animal for a god. (55)" ¹

Begin the ritual.

© 2001 Andrea Koinski and Barbara Olsen. All rights reserved.