baetylus

baetylus
or baetulus

In Greek religion, a sacred stone or pillar.

In antiquity there were numerous holy stones, most associated with a deity. The most famous example is the holy stone known as the Omphalos in the temple of Apollo at Delphi. Sometimes the stones were formed into pillars or into groups of three pillars.

* * *

also spelled  Baetulus,  

      in Greek religion, a sacred stone or pillar. The word baetylus is of Semitic origin (-bethel). Numerous holy, or fetish, stones existed in antiquity, generally attached to the cult of some particular god and looked upon as his abiding place or symbol. The most famous example is the holy stone at Delphi, the omphalos (“navel”), that reposed in the Temple of Apollo there and supposedly marked the exact centre of the universe. A second stone at Delphi was said to have been the one that the Titan Cronus swallowed; it was thought to be Zeus himself in his symbolic, or baetylic, form.

      Sometimes the stones were made into a more regular shape by forming them into pillars or into groups of three pillars. Such columns were sometimes placed before a shrine; others were used as mileposts and often shaped into human form. The baetylus became the parent form for altars and iconic statuary.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Baetylus — or Bethel is a Semitic word denoting a sacred stone, which was supposedly endowed with life. These objects of worship were meteorites, which were dedicated to the gods or revered as symbols of the gods themselves [Pliny s Natural History xvii. 9; …   Wikipedia

  • BAETYLUS — Graece Βαίτυλος. Priscian. l. 5. Abadir Deus est; Dicitur et hôc nomine lapis ille, quem Saturnus dicitur devorâsse pro Iove, quem Graeci Baetylon vocant. Hesych. Βαίτυλος, οὕτω ἐκαλεῖτο ὁ δοθεὶς λίθος τῷ Κρόνῳ ἀντὶ Διός. Etymologus, Βαίτυλος… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • baetylus — bae·ty·lus …   English syllables

  • baetylus — noun see baetyl …   Useful english dictionary

  • Apollo — This article is about the Greek and Roman god. For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation) and Phoebus (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Phobos (mythology). Apollo …   Wikipedia

  • Meteorite — This article is about debris from space that survives impact with the ground. For other uses of Meteor and Meteors , see Meteor (disambiguation). For popular applications, see Falling star. For the fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics… …   Wikipedia

  • Omphalos — For other uses, see Omphalos (disambiguation). An omphalos (ομφαλος) is an ancient religious stone artifact, or baetylus. In Greek, the word omphalos means navel (compare the name of Queen Omphale). According to the ancient Greeks, Zeus sent out… …   Wikipedia

  • Bethel — ( he. בֵּית אֵל), also written as Beth El or Beth El, meaning House of God (in general), or House of (the specific god named) El , was a town in ancient Israel, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem. Its location is generally identified with the… …   Wikipedia

  • Meteoroid — A few shooting stars can be seen in this video from the ISS. A Perseid meteor (light streak somewhat to right of center of photo) and Milky Way. A meteoroid is a sand to …   Wikipedia

  • Sanchuniathon — is the purported Phoenician author of three lost works originally in the Phoenician language, surviving only in partial paraphrase and summary of a Greek translation by Philo of Byblos, according to the Christian bishop Eusebius of Caesarea.… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”