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Papers by Nektaria Mavroudi

American School of Classical Studies at Athens eBooks, Jun 15, 2011

Aspects of puberty initiation rites in prehistoric Crete (in greek). Proceedings of the 12th International Congress of Cretan Studies, Heraklion, 21-25.09.2016., 2018

A crucial moment in a person's biological and social life is the transition from childhood to mat... more A crucial moment in a person's biological and social life is the transition from childhood to maturity through a series of initiatory processes most commonly known as 'rites of passage'. Early societies show the importance of entering adulthood by establishing rituals that often constitute a basic axis around which the whole social and religious life of the community is organized. These rites include consecutive stages of separation from the world of childhood and subsequently of incorporation into a world of sexuality, while at the same time they help crystallize the desired social roles.
Significant parts of these initiatory rites concern aspects of intangible culture. As a result, their archaeological recognition becomes particularly difficult. The earliest written evidence for rituals related to the initiation of youths to maturity comes from archaic Crete, where specific stages of initiation can be traced, such as those described in the inspired work of Arnold van Gennep, 'Rites de Passage'. Can similar rites be detected into the Bronze Age Aegean? This article attempts to explore aspects of initiation into adulthood in the prehistoric societies of the Aegean -and especially of Crete- and to detect possible analogies with the anthropological evidence.

Key words: rites of passage, gender, adulthood, sexuality, social identity, prehistoric Aegean

in Viglaki P., Daskalakis N., Kapranos E., Mavrikou E. (eds). Aellopos. Studies in honor of Iris Tzachili. Athens: Ta Pragmata, 2023

This article shortly examines the form and provenance of the Egyptian dwarf-god Bes, protector of... more This article shortly examines the form and provenance of the Egyptian dwarf-god Bes, protector of household and in particular of women in labour, babies and young children. It focuses on the characteristic of the frontal depiction of the god, who represents both human and bestial features, and discusses the rather peculiar presence of a male god in the women’s rooms. It tries to attend the appearance of similar fantastic creatures in Bronze Age Crete and also detect whether Bes’s reputation as a protector of women at birth and their babies had reached Crete since the Bronze Age, a fact that is true for the Protoarchaic and Archaic period and is confirmed by numerous amulets and statuettes of the god found in caves and open-air sanctuaries.

in Tsipopoulou M. (ed.), Petras, Siteia – 25 Years of Excavations and Studies, Monographs of the Danish Institute at Athens, vol. 16, Athens., 2012

House II.1 is one of two fully excavated domestic complexes of the Neopalatial settlement at Petr... more House II.1 is one of two fully excavated domestic complexes of the Neopalatial settlement at Petras. While the study for the final publication is still in progress, a first attempt at reading its architectural life offers some initial important data. House II.1 can be included in a series of large urban buildings of domestic character, which, at the beginning of the LM I period, adopted a number of architectural innovations, until then known only in palatial buildings. House II.1 was contemporary with the neighboring House I.1, which displays vernacular architecture, suggesting that its inhabitants were looking for a social distinction within the settlement. It continued to be occupied after House I.1 was abandoned, towards the end of the LM IA period. Finally, House II.1 also ceased to be used at an advanced stage of LM IB. The modifications to the original plan in its final phase of occupation testify to the changing organization of the life within it, as well as to a possible change in economic activity, towards a more industrial function. It is possible that this was influenced by the radical changes in social and political structures that characterize the LM IB period throughout the island.

in Natalia Vogeikoff-Brogan, Kevin T. Glowacki (eds), STEGA: The Archaeology of Houses and Households in Ancient Crete, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Hesperia Supplement, vol. 44., 2011

American School of Classical Studies at Athens eBooks, Jun 15, 2011

Aspects of puberty initiation rites in prehistoric Crete (in greek). Proceedings of the 12th International Congress of Cretan Studies, Heraklion, 21-25.09.2016., 2018

A crucial moment in a person's biological and social life is the transition from childhood to mat... more A crucial moment in a person's biological and social life is the transition from childhood to maturity through a series of initiatory processes most commonly known as 'rites of passage'. Early societies show the importance of entering adulthood by establishing rituals that often constitute a basic axis around which the whole social and religious life of the community is organized. These rites include consecutive stages of separation from the world of childhood and subsequently of incorporation into a world of sexuality, while at the same time they help crystallize the desired social roles.
Significant parts of these initiatory rites concern aspects of intangible culture. As a result, their archaeological recognition becomes particularly difficult. The earliest written evidence for rituals related to the initiation of youths to maturity comes from archaic Crete, where specific stages of initiation can be traced, such as those described in the inspired work of Arnold van Gennep, 'Rites de Passage'. Can similar rites be detected into the Bronze Age Aegean? This article attempts to explore aspects of initiation into adulthood in the prehistoric societies of the Aegean -and especially of Crete- and to detect possible analogies with the anthropological evidence.

Key words: rites of passage, gender, adulthood, sexuality, social identity, prehistoric Aegean

in Viglaki P., Daskalakis N., Kapranos E., Mavrikou E. (eds). Aellopos. Studies in honor of Iris Tzachili. Athens: Ta Pragmata, 2023

This article shortly examines the form and provenance of the Egyptian dwarf-god Bes, protector of... more This article shortly examines the form and provenance of the Egyptian dwarf-god Bes, protector of household and in particular of women in labour, babies and young children. It focuses on the characteristic of the frontal depiction of the god, who represents both human and bestial features, and discusses the rather peculiar presence of a male god in the women’s rooms. It tries to attend the appearance of similar fantastic creatures in Bronze Age Crete and also detect whether Bes’s reputation as a protector of women at birth and their babies had reached Crete since the Bronze Age, a fact that is true for the Protoarchaic and Archaic period and is confirmed by numerous amulets and statuettes of the god found in caves and open-air sanctuaries.

in Tsipopoulou M. (ed.), Petras, Siteia – 25 Years of Excavations and Studies, Monographs of the Danish Institute at Athens, vol. 16, Athens., 2012

House II.1 is one of two fully excavated domestic complexes of the Neopalatial settlement at Petr... more House II.1 is one of two fully excavated domestic complexes of the Neopalatial settlement at Petras. While the study for the final publication is still in progress, a first attempt at reading its architectural life offers some initial important data. House II.1 can be included in a series of large urban buildings of domestic character, which, at the beginning of the LM I period, adopted a number of architectural innovations, until then known only in palatial buildings. House II.1 was contemporary with the neighboring House I.1, which displays vernacular architecture, suggesting that its inhabitants were looking for a social distinction within the settlement. It continued to be occupied after House I.1 was abandoned, towards the end of the LM IA period. Finally, House II.1 also ceased to be used at an advanced stage of LM IB. The modifications to the original plan in its final phase of occupation testify to the changing organization of the life within it, as well as to a possible change in economic activity, towards a more industrial function. It is possible that this was influenced by the radical changes in social and political structures that characterize the LM IB period throughout the island.

in Natalia Vogeikoff-Brogan, Kevin T. Glowacki (eds), STEGA: The Archaeology of Houses and Households in Ancient Crete, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Hesperia Supplement, vol. 44., 2011