Myth, Ritual and Metallurgy in Ancient Greece and Recent Africa

This book, first published in 2006, provides new insights into the position of technology in Greek myth.

Sandra Blakely (Author)

9781107652392, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 26 September 2013

344 pages
24.4 x 18.8 x 2.3 cm, 0.6 kg

In this volume, first published in 2006, Sandra Blakely considers technological myths and rituals associated with ancient Greek daimones, who made metal; and African rituals in which iron plays a central role. Noting the rich semantic web of associations that has connected metallurgy to magic, birth, kingship, autochthony, and territorial possession in both Greek and African cultures, Blakely examines them together in order to cast light on the Greek demons, which are only fragmentarily preserved and which have often been equated to general types of smithing gods. Her comparison demonstrates that these demons are more sophisticated and ritually useful than has been previously acknowledged. This book provides new insights into the position of technology in Greek myth. Providing a new methodology for the study of Greek religion, which uses comparative cultural material in a thoughtful and careful way, it helps close the fifty-year gap between the social sciences and Classical philology in the theoretical understanding and study of technological systems.

Introduction
Part I. Data and Methodologies: 1. The Greek daimones
2. Iconography and metallurgy
3. African iron: history, ritual, and investigation
Part II. Metallurgy and Birth: 4. Birth, craft, and the daimones: the Erectrian hymn to the Daktyloi
5. Gender and production: the Fipa
6. The daimones: fertility and ritual performance
7. Pharmaka and apotropaia
Part III. Metallurgy and Political Power: 8. Iron and political power: Africa
9. Bakongo investiture: kings, iron, and autochthones
10. Daimones and political power: Idaian Daktyloi in the Phoronis
11. Pindar's Telchines
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: European history [HBJD], Regional studies [GTB]