The apellaia () were the offerings made at the initiation of a young man (
kouros
kouros ( grc, κοῦρος, , plural kouroi) is the modern term given to free-standing Ancient Greek sculptures that depict nude male youths. They first appear in the Archaic period in Greece and are prominent in Attica and Boeotia, with a les ...
) at a meeting of a family-group ( ''phratria'') of the northwest
Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, ot ...
.
Apellaios () is the month of these rites and offerings, and
Apellon (,
Doric Doric may refer to:
* Doric, of or relating to the Dorians of ancient Greece
** Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians
* Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture
* Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode
* Doric dialect (Scotland)
* Doric ...
form of
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
), is the ''megistos kouros'' ("The great Kouros").
[Jane Ellen Harrison (2010): ''Themis: A study to the Social origins of Greek Religion'', Cambridge University Press. pp. 439–441 ]
The brotherhood, the
phratry
In ancient Greece, a phratry ( grc, φρᾱτρῐ́ᾱ, phrātríā, brotherhood, kinfolk, derived from grc, φρᾱ́τηρ, phrā́tēr, brother, links=no) was a group containing citizens in some city-states. Their existence is known in most I ...
, controlled the access to civic rights. There was a three-day family-festival, with initiation ceremonies, not concerning the state. The father introduced his young child, then again as a child (''ephebos'') who would become a grown-up
kouros
kouros ( grc, κοῦρος, , plural kouroi) is the modern term given to free-standing Ancient Greek sculptures that depict nude male youths. They first appear in the Archaic period in Greece and are prominent in Attica and Boeotia, with a les ...
, and the husband his wife after the marriage. The three-day festival of the northwest Greeks was called
Apellai Apellai ( grc-gre, ἀπέλλαι), was a three-day family-festival of the Northwest Greeks similar with the Ionic Apaturia, which was dedicated to Apollo (Doric form:).Walter Burkert (1985) ''Greek Religion''. Harvard University Press. p. 255
T ...
, and was similar with the
Ionic Apaturia. The three relative offerings of
Apellai Apellai ( grc-gre, ἀπέλλαι), was a three-day family-festival of the Northwest Greeks similar with the Ionic Apaturia, which was dedicated to Apollo (Doric form:).Walter Burkert (1985) ''Greek Religion''. Harvard University Press. p. 255
T ...
at least in Delphi were ''paideia'' (for child), ''apellaia'' (youth), and ''gamela'' (marriage; ''gamos'' in Greek).
According to
Plutarch
Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...
: "It was a custom for those who from children were initiated to grown-up ''kouroi'', to go to
Delphi
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The orac ...
and offer there the hair of their head to the god (
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
).
Theseus
Theseus (, ; grc-gre, Θησεύς ) was the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. The myths surrounding Theseus his journeys, exploits, and friends have provided material for fiction throughout the ages.
Theseus is sometimes describ ...
went there, and he only shaved the forepart of his head." "Apollo is the unshorn
Phoibos."
[ A similar offering was made in the Apaturia, which was called ''koureion'' (from κείρω ''keiro'', "cut, esp. hair"). and corresponds to ''apellaion'' ()][Martin Nilsson, ''Die Geschichte der Griechische Religion'', vol. I (C. H. Beck), 1955, pp. 137, 556]
See also
*Apella
The ecclesia or ekklesia (Greek: ἐκκλησία) was the citizens' assembly in the Ancient Greek city-state of Sparta. Unlike its more famous counterpart in Athens, the Spartan assembly had limited powers, as it did not debate; citizens coul ...
*Apellai Apellai ( grc-gre, ἀπέλλαι), was a three-day family-festival of the Northwest Greeks similar with the Ionic Apaturia, which was dedicated to Apollo (Doric form:).Walter Burkert (1985) ''Greek Religion''. Harvard University Press. p. 255
T ...
Notes
{{Reflist
Rites of passage
Ancient Greek culture