Smoke signals for the gods : ancient Greek sacrifice from the Archaic through Roman periods /

Naiden's Ancient Supplication (CH, May'07, 44-4898) cogently demonstrated that supplicating the gods was a complex, multi-stage ritual. He now turns to the act of (especially blood) sacrifice, focusing on the centrality of the ritual in ancient Greece, but with due consideration of Hebraic and Roman practices. Naiden (Univ. of North Carolina) begins with a compelling review of studies of sacrifice from the 19th century forward. He argues, often wittily, that current explanatory models are constructed of theories, prejudices, and ancient literary evidence, inadequately incorporating iconographic and epigraphic evidence. The author considers the full range of evidence to place the gods as central to the sacrificial ritual. More precisely, he analyzes what those sacrificing expected of the gods (and humans did not always receive what they requested). Naiden discusses well who could and could not sacrifice. He discusses thoroughly the evidence for civic sacrifice and also has much of value to say about "private" sacrifice. Those who follow Walter Burkert, Marcel Detienne, and Jean-Pierre Vernant, for example, may wish to reconsider their understanding of sacrifice. Appendixes (including a marvelous list of "Rejected [by divination] offerings"), bibliography, and full indexes make this work a fundamental research tool for those studying ancient sacrifice. Summing Up: Essential. Graduate students, faculty. P. B. Harvey Jr. Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus