Household and Family Religion in Antiquity

The first book to explore the religious dimensions of the familyand the household in ancient Mediterranean and West Asianantiquity. Advances our understanding of household and familial religion,as opposed to state-sponsored or civic temple cults Reconstructs domestic and family religious practices in Egypt,Greece, Rome, Israel, Mesopotamia, Ugarit, Emar, and Philistia Explores many household rituals, such as providing forancestral spirits, and petitioning of a household's patron deitiesor of spirits associated with the house itself Examines lifecycle rituals – from pregnancy and birth tomaturity, old age, death, and beyond Looks at religious practices relating to the household bothwithin the home itself and other spaces, such as at extramuraltombs and local sanctuaries