On the Structure of Ritual Activity and the Collective Dimension of Figurine Use at Minoan Peak Sanctuaries

Abstract

SummaryDespite the regular appearance of peak sanctuaries, for over a century, in discussions on the organization of Cretan Bronze Age society, uncertainty still looms over the precise position these places of congregation held in the island’s complex network of sites. One of the causes behind this academic situation is their methodological treatment. Particularly problematic is the customary scholarly practice of defining the sites’ political affiliation, and their visitors’ economic status, according to dichotomizing and somewhat reductive criteria such as ‘palatial’/‘non‐palatial’ or ‘elite’/‘non‐elite’. Seeking to incorporate more nuance into the investigatory trajectory, this paper therefore encourages the implementation of more localized and materially‐founded analyses on the structure of the ritual activities held at these mysterious mountain‐tops. The efficiency of the proposed approach is demonstrated through a re‐examination of the ceramic figurines from Petsophas and the subsequent articulation of the existence of a communal dimension to their use and function. The study concludes that closer consideration of the simultaneously personal and collective significance of peak sanctuary ritual can yield further clues on their socio‐political role.