matzeva

matzeva

also spelled  Maẓẓevah (Hebrew: “tombstone,” “monument”),  plural  Matzevot, or Maẓẓevoth,  

      a stone pillar erected on elevated ground beside a sacrificial altar. It was considered sacred to the god it symbolized and had a wooden pole (ashera) nearby to signify a goddess. After conquering the Canaanites, early Israelites used these symbols as their own until their use was outlawed as idolatrous (e.g., Deuteronomy 16:21).

      In the Old Testament (Genesis 28:18–22; 2 Samuel 18:18; Joshua 4:20–23) matzeva is used to designate a stone memorial, or monument, or, more specifically, as in the case of Rachel, a tombstone resting upright on a grave (Genesis 35:20). This latter meaning is retained in modern Hebrew.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • ceremonial object — ▪ religion Introduction  any object used in a ritual or a religious ceremony.       Throughout the history of religions and cultures, objects used in cults, rituals, and sacred ceremonies have almost always been of both utilitarian and symbolic… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

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