Uni Internatbnal 300 N
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
INFORMATION TO USERS This reproduction was made from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technology' has been used to photograph and reproduce this document, the quality of the reproduction is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help clarify markings or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or “target” for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is “Missing Page(s)” . I f it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting througli an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a round black mark, it is an indication of either blurred copy because of movement during exposure, duplicate copy, or copyrighted materials that should not have been filmed. For blurred pages, a good image of the page can be found in the adjacent frame. If copyrighted materials were deleted, a target note will appear listing the pages in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., is part of the material being photographed, a definite method of “sectioning” the material has been followed. It is customary to begin filming at the upper left hand comer of a large sheet and to continue from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. If necessary, sectioning is continued again—beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. For illustrations that cannot be satisfactorily reproduced by xerographic means, photographic prints can be purchased at additional cost and inserted into your xerographic copy. These prints are available upon request from the Dissertations Customer Services Department. 5. Some pages in any document may have indistinct print. In all cases the best available copy has been filmed. Uni Internatbnal 300 N. Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 8300310 Mouratidis, John GREEK SPORTS, GAMES AND FESTIVALS BEFORE THE EIGHTH CENTURY B.C. The Ohio State Unmrsity PH.D. 1982 University Microfilms Intern étions! 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor. MI 48106 GREEK SPORTS, GAMES AND FESTIVALS BEFORE THE EIGHTH CENTURY B.C. DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By John Mouratidis B.A., M.S. * * * * # The Ohio State University 1982 Reading Committee: Approved By Dr. Jack Balcer Dr. Bruce Bennett Dr. Clarence Forbes Adviser Department of Physical Education Copyright by John Mouratidis 1982 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This investigator wishes to express his sincerest gratitude to his advisor, Dr. Bruce L. Bennett, Department of Physical Education, for his unending guidance and advice rendered in the completion of this investigation. The writer is greatly indebted to Dr. Jack M. Balcer, Department of History and Dr. Clarence A. Forbes, Department of Classics for useful criticism and advice. The assistance and encouragement of Dr. James G. Thompson and Dr. John A. Lucas of Pennsylvania State University is also acknowledged with thanks. The author takes the final blame for anyerrors or ideas that may be found in the dissertation. 11 VITA June 15» 19^5......... Born - Kilkls, Greece 1967.................. B.A., National Academy of Physical Education, Athens, Greece I97O-I973............. Physical Education Teacher, Kilkis, Greece 1973.................. B.A., Political Sciences, Athens, Greece 1978.................. M.Sc., The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsyl vania. PUBLICATIONS "Herodotus and his Attitude on Games and Athletes: an Inter pretation." Canadian Journal of History of Sport 12, No. 1, May 1981, pp. 1 - 10. "Alexander the Great and his Promotion of Greek Games in the East" Canadian Journal of History of Sport I3 , No. 1, May 1982, pp. 61 - 74. Ill TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................... ii VITA ........................................ ill Chapter I. INTRODUCTION, NEED OF THE STUDY AND STATEMENT OF THE P R O B L E M .......... 1 II. MINOAN AND MYCENAEAN CIVILIZATION.... 12 Minoan Civilization ................. 13 Mycenaean Civilization............... 1? Homer and his E p i c s ................. 21 III. SPORTS, GAMES AND FESTIVALS IN MINOAN CRETE ........................... 38 Bull Leaping. ................. 38 D a n c i n g ............................. 49 Boxing....................... 56 H u n t i n g ............................. • 6l F i s h i n g ............................. 63 Other Minoan Games and Sports .... 66 IV. THE MOTHER GODDESS OF MAINLAND GREECE AND HER POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION WITH SPORTS, FESTIVALS AND GAMES............. 93 IV V. OLYMPIA BEFORE 776 B.C. AND SOME PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH THE FOUNDATION OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES ............ 113 Olympia Before 776 B.C............... 113 Theories of the Origin of the Olympic Games................... 118 Pelops, Heracles, Zeus and Hera at O l y m p i a ........................ 132 The Olympic Register and the Discus of Iphitos............... 15^ VI. HOMERIC AND MYCENAEAN SPORTS AND GAMES. 193 VII. CONCLUSION............................... 226 BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................ 24-0 V CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION. NEED OF THE STUDY AND STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM According to tradition the Olympic Games were insti tuted in 776 B.C. This date, however, can no longer be accepted for the beginning of Greek athletic contests. The origin of Greek sports, games and festivals, in actuality, is lost in the dark mists of time. From the extensive corpus of literary and archaeological evidence, however, we can now determine that games were practiced in the Greek lands long before the traditional date of the beginning of the Olympic Games. For the last fifty years research on the history of Greek athletics, sports and festivals has been concentrated in the ancient Olympic Games with emphasis on the classical period. Investigation in selected areas of the history of Greek games, sports and festivals before 776 B.C. is almost non-existent when compared with the studies of the more popular and well-known period of classical Greece. Most of the textbooks written on Greek games have neglected to inves tigate the pre-Homeric period, and quite understandably so. The lack of material evidence and the conflicting traditional sources make such an investigation a very difficult under taking. In addition, in order to undertake such a difficult 2 task, knowledge and consequently material from disciplines other than the history of physical education are required. For example, contributory assistance from disciplines such as history, archaeology, religion and anthropology is abso lutely essential for such an investigation. The real and concrete contribution of classical Greek athletics can only be measured with some accuracy if we investigate their sources and their origin. It is a great error to study Greek games and festivals of the classical period alone, since it is evi dent from archaeological and literary sources that the Greeks have a continuous history almost from the beginning of their arrival in mainland Greece. Hence I see the need and signi ficance for the restudy of Greek games in the pre-Homeric period. This project, an extended investigation, analysis and discussion of the early phases of Greek sports, games and festivals and the specific problems connected with them can be understood through the genesis outlined above. Some elements relevant to the purpose of this paper are, however, difficult or even impossible to investigate for lack of material evidence or because of contradictory tradi tions. It is obvious that in the future much still needs to be investigated and thus the picture presented herein may be incomplete. It is important at this point to clarify my position concerning a familiar issue in order that its irony will not become an impediment. The issue is that of the so-called "Minoan influence on Greek athletics." The tracing of this influence has been attempted in two works.^ A brief look at these works will help highlight my quite different analysis and conceptualization. Even though this dissertation will make at least a passing reference to the question of "Minoan influence on Greek athletics", still this problem is generally dismissed from the major aims of this study. My investigation is, in short, a new direction concerning the origin of pre- Homeric Greek sports, games and festivals, and an analysis of certain problems surrounding their nature and function. In this study both traditional and archaeological information will be utilized. Generally speaking, the archaeological evidence in many cases does not correlate well with the early Gi'eek traditions. The ancient Greek traditions often present a picture that is confusing and contradictory; thus an attempt will be made to re-examine some of these- traditional sources in light of the material evidence. This thesis is divided into seven chapters. The second chapter considers, in general, Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations as well as aspects of Homer and his epics. This provides a useful starting point and an introduction to the Minoans and Mycenaeans whose specific natures shaped their games, sports and festivals. It is evident that the starting point of my dissertation cannot be other than one that examines in a very general outline the two great civiliza tions of the Bronze Age as well as the people who created and 4 possibly destroyed these civilizations. In the course of the study I naturally touch upon various names such as Minoans, Mycenaeans and Homer, but it is not within the scope of this project to deal with them in exhaustive detail; their his tories have already been written. During the period I600 - 14-50 B.C. Crete, at the height of her civilization, exercised a rather strong cultural influence upon the mainland of Greece. Many Minoan objects found in the shaft graves at Mycenae and the other Cretan artifacts uncovered at many other Mycenaean centers testify to that influence of Crete in the early stages of Mycenaean civilization.