As this book demonstrates, the cradle of the Mystery Cults of the Goddess and of Western civilization is the Aegean region, an area extending from the Balkans to Crete and from the Ionian Sea to Asia Minor. The Eleusinian Mysteries do not originate from Old Europe or Egypt, but from the worship of the Pelasgian goddess Daeira, Mother Earth, who preceded Demeter and whose cult was indigenous to Eleusis. As shown here, in the Mysteries of the Goddess, the initiates descend into the depths of their psyche, perceive the midnight sun, transcend duality, and achieve cosmic consciousness symbolized by the unity and harmony of the Great Goddess. The Pelasgians, Minyans, and Minoans, the Aegean region’s prehistoric tribes and ancestors of the Mycenaeans and modern Greeks, share the same cultural heritage, continuity, and autochthony with the region’s Proto-Greek, pre-Deukalion-Flood inhabitants. The book also argues that religious and scientific traces of pre-Flood knowledge can be discerned in the Mysteries and the technical achievements of prehistoric Minyan and Minoan Greeks. Even from the third millennium, the Minyans and Minoans, with their advanced nautical, geographic, and astronomical knowledge, sailed not only the Mediterranean, but using the Atlantic currents had reached the copper mines of northern Europe and America.

Using archaeological, epigraphic and literary sources, and incorporating current scholarly theories, this volume offers an accessible account of the Greek gods for undergraduate students.

First published in 1989, Among the Gods uses archaeological evidence to explore ancient Greek religion. The book analyses cult-statues and inscriptions to provide a detailed discussion of gods and goddesses, the priesthood, and healing sanctuaries. In doing so, it highlights the external, formal nature of religious practice in ancient Greece, such as pilgrimages, offerings, and hallowed sites. Archaeological records are used to examine both the theory and practice of ancient Greek religion, and to provide context to a variety of Greek myths and Greek literature. Among the Gods will appeal to those with an interest in religious history, archaeological history, and Classical history.

The Eleusinian Mysteries were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. They are the "most famous of the secret religious rites of ancient Greece." It is thought that their basis was an old agrarian cult which probably goes back to the Mycenean period (c. 1600 - 1100 BC) and it is believed that the cult of Demeter was established in 1500 BC. The mysteries represented the myth of the abduction of Persephone from her mother Demeter by the king of the underworld Hades, in a cycle with three phases, the "descent" (loss), the "search" and the "ascent," with the main theme the "ascent" of Persephone and the reunion with her mother. It was a major festival during the Hellenic era, and later spread to Rome. The name of the town, Eleusis, seems to be Pre-Greek and it is probably a counterpart with Elysium and the goddess Eileithyia. The rites, ceremonies, and beliefs were kept secret and consistently preserved from antiquity. The initiated believed that they would have a reward in the afterlife. There are many paintings and pieces of pottery that depict various aspects of the Mysteries. Since the Mysteries involved visions and conjuring of an afterlife, some scholars believe that the power and longevity of the Eleusinian Mysteries came from psychedelic agents."

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1919 Edition.