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Archive for February, 2008

Ancient Rituals in the Acropolis

Posted by admin on February 29th, 2008

As the chief religious centre of the life of the city, the Acropolis was the scene of many ancient state rituals. The altar of Zeus was the scene of a curious annual sacrifice known as “the murder of the ox,” which took place each year at the end of June or beginning of July, when threshing was nearly over. According to an ancient tradition, it was originally instituted to bring an end to a drought which had once afflicted the region, but the manner in which it was carried out strongly suggests that the early Athenians may have entertained some nagging doubts about the morality of the common practice of animal sacrifice.

At the beginning of the ritual, cakes of barley mixed with wheat were laid on the bronze altar, and then several oxen were repeatedly driven around it. The beast which first ventured up to the altar to eat the offering was chosen for the sacrifice. The ancients would probably have said that the beast had “chosen itself,” or that it was “fated” to die.

A double-headed axe and a knife, with which the beast was to be slain, were first wetted with water by girls especially chosen for the purpose, then sharpened, and finally handed to the butchers. One of the butchers felled the ox with the axe, while another cut its throat with the knife. As soon as the ox was dead, those who had killed it would flee the scene. The carcass was skinned and its flesh was eaten. The ox s hide was filled with straw and sewn up. Then the stuffed animal was set on its feet and attached to a plough, as if it were ploughing.

After this, a solemn mock trial was held, presided over by a very important state official, the king-archon, to determine who had murdered the ox. First, the maidens who had brought the water to wet the axe and the knife would be accused of the crime. They would accuse the men who had sharpened the instruments. These in their turn would accuse those who had handed the implements to the butchers. They would accuse the butchers themselves. Finally, the butchers would lay the blame on the axe and the knife. These objects would then be found guilty of the crime of the murder of the ox, formally condemned, sentenced, and cast out to sea.

It has been suggested by some experts in the history of religions that the rationale behind this ritual is a very ancient one indeed, and may even go back to the customs and attitudes of prehistoric hunting tribes. There is some evidence that early hunters treated their game in some ways as the equals of the hunters themselves, and tried to placate the spirits of the animals they killed. Sometimes they formally, and very courteously, apologised to their victims following the kill. In this ceremony at Athens, the community which offered the sacrifice laid the ultimate blame for the death of the animal upon the instruments of sacrifice themselves. In this way it seems that they hoped to divert the ill-will of the potentially dangerous spirit of the dead ox away from themselves and the city, and towards the objects cast into the sea.

Delphi Art Hotel, Electra Hotel and Electra Palace Hotel are three of the greatest hotels in Athens.

New Year in Majorca Generates a Load of Rubbish

Posted by admin on February 28th, 2008

Although visitors to the island undoubtedly enjoyed them, New Year celebrations in Majorca were considered a load of rubbish by many of its residents. Record numbers of revelers joined the festivities in capital Palma, resulting in the dumping of millions of kilograms of rubbish in the streets, which residents claim have been left to rot.

The majority of the party nights detritus was strewn all along the Paseo Maritimo seafront. Normally, this beautiful stretch of Palma is kept very tidy, despite the plethora of trendy cafes, bars, night clubs and restaurants along its length. But, the residents of Palma are extremely upset at the devastation, and threatening to demonstrate at the apparent lack of concern shown by their town council.

The Emaya, who are the municipal waste collection board of Palma, insist that they actually increased the collections this year and say that it was the overwhelming increase in the amount of rubbish deposited that caused the problems. To back up their claims Emaya pointed out that they collected 558,000 kilos of rubbish over the entire festive period a sizeable increase on previous years.

But, unfortunately rather than take the rubbish directly to a landfill or some other waste recycling destination they chose to temporarily deposit it in the Plaza Olivar. The square is where local food markets have been held for centuries and the dumping there naturally angered residents and market traders alike. Other areas in the city also saw a significant increase in rubbish dumped on the streets.

Although the Emaya had provided extra facilities by increasing the number of bins all over the city in anticipation of the increase in rubbish from the revelers, the amount had been woefully underestimated.

Of the rubbish collected almost 15,000 items consisted of glass objects. The remainder was made up of plastic, cups, tins, plastic bags, and cardboard boxes that were all discarded along the normally picturesque seafront.

The rubbish generated during the New Year Celebrations didn t impact on all those who were guests in the hotels in Majorca, but residents of the island were extremely disturbed at the mess. As a result they now want New Year drinking in their streets to be stopped as they fear that the rubbish could be even worse at this year s celebrations.

The issue is now in the hands of the Palma council who plan to have discussions with residents and marina users, in order to come to a decision of what to do to prevent this happening to their beautiful city during the next New Year celebrations.

Elisha Burberry is an online, freelance journalist and keen traveller and watersports enthusiast. Originally from Scotland, she now resides in London.

Five Reasons to Visit Turkey in 2008

Posted by admin on February 26th, 2008

The stunning nation of Turkey is the one country in the world where east truly meets west - because the country is located in South-eastern Europe and spans such a large geographic landmass that it also reaches into South-western Asia.

As a result, Turkey is a nation of mixed cultural and historic flavours, a country where the modern skyscrapers of Istanbul stand alongside the minarets of ancient mosques, and where holiday makers can experience a whole host of flavours, sights and events in just a short visit.

If you re thinking about where to go for a weekend break, a summer holiday getaway or for a holiday of a lifetime, there are a million reasons to visit Turkey - and in this article we will explore five of the best reasons for you to look a little more closely at this country of contrasts.

1) Culture and retail therapy in Istanbul. Side by side on the streets of Istanbul you have the most luxurious shopping malls in the world with grand bazaars where peddlers vie for your trade as they sell locally grown produce. As a backdrop to the eclectic mix of retail delights on the streets of Istanbul you have legendary landmarks such as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia - and so no matter what you prefer doing when on holiday, you are sure to find thrills and experiences to delight you in Istanbul.

2) Sailing the sun-drenched seas off the south coast. The southern coastline of Turkey is known as the Turkish Riviera. It is home to famous resorts such as Bodrum, Alanya, Antalya and Side and from each of these beautiful towns you can charter boats to bob about on the Mediterranean and Aegean seas whilst basking in the summer sunshine.

3) Castle hoping. Along the south coast in Turkey there are crusader castles in towns such as Bodrum and Alanya and you can explore these stunning ruins and the museums they now house…getting to learn more about how this is one nation that has been fought over for generations because of its stunning beauty, its geographic importance and because of the wealth of natural resources it is home to.

4) Sun, sea and sand sampling. Turkey s Riviera is world famous as a summer holiday destination and it s not surprising…enjoying a summer season that spans from March through to November and an extremely temperate winter season, you can enjoy the beaches, the surf and the stunning sunshine when on holiday in this part of the nation.

5) Sumptuous cuisine and excellent wine. Turkish cuisine is all about using the very best locally grown produce and cooking it simply to ensure the natural flavours are maintained. You can enjoy a meze, which is a meal of many tiny offerings of local dishes, followed perhaps by a traditional fish dish or kebab, and you can wash the whole lot down with a bottle of Turkey s finest red or white wine. The food and drink available in Turkey is exquisite and of very high quality…but watch out for the deserts which are highly addictively sweet!

If you re looking for a stunning nation in which to explore history, culture, leisure pursuits and landscapes, give Turkey a look in 2008.