The Extramural Sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone at Cyrene, Libya, Final Reports, Volume VIII: The Sanctuary's Imperial Architectural Development, Conflict with Christianity, and Final Days

Description

This is the climactic volume on the archaeological and architectural history from ca. 31 B.C. to A.D. 365 of the extramural sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone at Cyrene, Libya. It deals with the impact of Christianity on the cult and the causes of its decline, with particular emphasis on the largest body of evidence recorded anywhere for iconoclastic damage, presumably by Christian populations, to sculpted images of worshippers and twin goddesses. The volume traces the characteristics of major Demeter sanctuaries elsewhere (e.g., Eleusis, Corinth, Pergamon, Acragas, and Selinus) and places Cyrene's sanctuary within the context of this development. The volume also presents the sanctuary's important lapidary and lead inscriptions as analyzed by Joyce Reyonlds. It is the eighth volume in the final reports series for the excavations conducted for the University of Michigan, and subsequently the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, between 1969 and 1981. University Museum Monograph, 134 Cover Title Page, Copyright Page, Dedication Contents List of Illustrations Minor Abbreviations Abbreviations and Bibliography Acknowledgments Introduction I: Part 1: Background to the Early Imperial Period I: Part 2: The Early Imperial Walled Remains, 31 B.C.-A.D. 115 II: Part 1: Sanctuary Development from A.D. 115-262 II: Part 2: Building Alterations before the A.D. 262 Earthquake III: Part 2: The Sanctuary's Final Construction III: Part 3: Squatter Period Walls IV: Part 1: Sanctuary Iconclasm IV: Part 2: Similar Activities Outside the Region IV: Part 3: The Cult’s Final Years: Christianity’s Advent and Impact on the Cult V: Conclusion Appendix: The Inscriptions on Stone and Lead Bibliography Minor Abbreviations Editor's Preface Introduction Catalogue of Inscriptions on Stone and Lead Arabic Summary Index