Kult und Kommunikation

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This volume explores the complexity of communication and the role of votive offerings in ancient sanctuaries. It highlights how these offerings were essential for mediating the relationship between gods and humans. The ancient world, particularly the pagan context, relied on various communicative methods within sanctuaries. Four main spheres of communication are identified: 1. Direct spoken communication, including petitions and rituals. 2. Documented linguistic-textual communication, found in preserved texts and archives. 3. Mediated communication through ritual practices, such as processions and votive offerings. 4. Symbolically represented communication, encompassing architecture, cult statues, inscriptions, and music. By broadening the definition of "medium" to include both technical and symbolic forms of communication, the volume situates sanctuaries within the media history of antiquity. It emphasizes that these sacred spaces are not merely sites for rituals but complex communication systems conveying theological, political, and economic messages through various media. The second part of the volume focuses on votive offerings, which uniquely address both the deity and other sanctuary visitors. The articles examine the communicative value of votive culture across a wide chronological and geographical spectrum, from the Mediterranean to late Antiquity, revealing the multifaceted nature of these offerings.