Chapter IV

THE WOMEN’S FESTIVALS. THESMOPHORIA, ARREPHORIA, SKIROPHORIA,
STENIA, HALOA.

Importance of these festivals as containing the germ of
‘Mysteries.’ Detailed examination of the ritual of the
Thesmophoria. The Kathodos and Anodos, the Nesteia, the
Kalligeneia. Gist of the rites the magical impulsion of
fertility by burying _sacra_ in the ground. Magical rites
preceded by purification and fasting. Analogy of Arrephoria,
Skirophoria and Stenia with Thesmophoria. Meaning of the word
_Thesmophoria_, the carrying of magical _sacra_. Magical
spells, curses and law. θεσμός and νόμος. The curse and
the law. The Dirae of Teos. The Haloa, a festival of the
threshing-floor, later taken over by Dionysos. Tabooed foods.
Eleusinian Mysteries a primitive harvest-festival. Order of the
ritual. The pig of purification. Other rites of purification.
The _tokens_ of the mysteries. Ancient confessions rather
of the nature of _Confiteor_ than _Credo_. The fast and
the partaking of the _kykeon_. The Kernophoria. Ancient
mysteries in their earliest form consist of the tasting of
first-fruits and the handling of _sacra_ after preliminary
purification, pp. 120-162.