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

, 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

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 (

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

Notes

{{Reflist Rites of passage Ancient Greek culture

See also

Notes