Dreaming the divine: Ritual and architecture at ancient Greek healing sanctuaries in Asklepios [electronic resource]
說明
451 p
附註
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-06, Section: A, page: 2020
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Toronto (Canada), 2008
This study examines the relationship between architecture and the ritual of incubation at the ancient Greek healing sanctuaries, especially those dedicated to Asklepios. By highlighting key features of specific sanctuaries, including those at Pergamon, Epidauros, Corinth, and Athens, the study traces the role of architecture in enhancing experience from the macro-level (location of the sanctuary in the environment) to the micro-level (location for incubation). It concludes with the construction of the epiphany of the deity in the patient's atopic dream. Unlike most ancient cults, epiphanic healing requires the patient to make contact with the divinity, an unfamiliar and mythically hazardous undertaking. The architectural and ritual elements of the cult function collectively to facilitate the experience and influence the incubants' thought processes. By creating a network of associations using symbols and architecture, the cult is able to address incubants who have different levels of comprehension and experiences, as well as channel negative cultural perceptions about epiphany into functional ones. The study takes a holistic approach, using both material and textual remains, as both are essential in recreating the complex environment
