The scene of offering in the sacral art of Dura Europos

Ilona Skupińska-Løvset

Uniwersytet Łódzki , Poland


Abstract

Dura Europos, or as proposed today Europos Dura, was a fortified settlement on the border between the Roman Empire and the East. The archeological dis­coveries reflected the character of the settlement – the fortified agglomeration grouped at the military camp. After its fall Europos Dura was covered by desert sand only to be discovered in the XXth century. Archaeological research has dis­closed documentation of its multicultural character. This paper points to the fact of coexistence of various religions in late antiquity Europos Dura. Paintings and sculptures discovered in situ indicate that scene of offering was a favorite subject in the sacral art of Europos Dura, independent of religion. The ceremony of in­cense burning constitutes the dominant form of offering regarding visualizations of this important ceremony.

Keywords:

discovery of Europos Doura, political history of the fortress, multicultural character, excavations, religions and cult places, visualizations of offerings to various deities, stone altars and religious sculpture illustrating offering ceremonies

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Published
2015-12-15


Skupińska-Løvset, I. (2015). Wątek składania ofiar w dekoracji budowli sakralnych Dura Europos. Vox Patrum, 64, 393–402. https://doi.org/10.31743/vp.3722

Ilona Skupińska-Løvset 
Uniwersytet Łódzki



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