Κόρε κεκλέσομαι αιεί. Uno sguardo sull’arktéia attraverso Phrasikleia

Abstract

This article investigates the anthropological issues of the “she-bear” rite, named arktéia, dedicated to the goddess Artemis in her sanctuary of Brauron (Attica), by young girls, before the celebration of their marriage. Kore Phrasiklieia is taken here as a case study with respect to its decoration, suggesting the presence of several attributes connected to the “brauronian” symbolics. There are three chapters: a history of the discovery of the statue, an analysis of its attributes, and an anthropological interpretation of the cult. The comparison between archaeological evidence, historical data, and ancient sources leads to the conclusion that Phrasikleia had performed the arktéia rite as a “she-bear”, but she died before she was married.

Keywords

• arktéia
• kore phrasikleia
• female puberty
• initiation rite