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In the
material culture Material culture is the aspect of social reality grounded in the objects and architecture that surround people. It includes the usage, consumption, creation, and trade of objects as well as the behaviors, norms, and rituals that the objects crea ...
of
classical antiquity Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
, a ''phiale'' ( ) or ''patera'' () is a shallow ceramic or metal
libation A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid, or grains such as rice, as an offering to a deity or spirit, or in memory of the dead. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in cultures today. Various substanc ...
bowl. It often has a bulbous indentation (''
omphalos An omphalos is a religious stone artifact, or baetylus. In Ancient Greek, the word () means "navel". Among the Ancient Greeks, it was a widespread belief that Delphi was the center of the world. According to the myths regarding the founding of ...
'', "bellybutton") in the center underside to facilitate holding it, in which case it is sometimes called a ''mesomphalic phiale''. It typically has no handles, and no feet. Although the two terms may be used interchangeably, particularly in the context of
Etruscan culture The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, rough ...
, ''phiale'' is more common in reference to Greek forms, and ''patera'' in Roman settings, not to be confused with the Greek () or Father.


Use

Libation was a central and vital aspect of
ancient Greek religion Religious practices in ancient Greece encompassed a collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology, in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. The application of the modern concept of "religion" to ancient cultures has bee ...
, and one of the simplest and most common forms of religious practice. It is one of the basic religious acts that define piety in ancient Greece, dating back to the
Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
and even prehistoric Greece. Libations were a part of daily life, and the pious might perform them every day in the morning and evening, as well as to begin meals. A libation most often consisted of mixed wine and water, but could also be unmixed wine, honey, oil, water, or milk. The form of libation called ''spondē'' is typically the ritualized pouring of wine from a jug or bowl held in the hand. The most common ritual was to pour the liquid from an '' oinochoē'' (wine jug) into a ''phiale''. Libation generally accompanied prayer. The Greeks stood when they prayed, either with their arms uplifted, or in the act of libation with the right arm extended to hold the ''phiale''. After the wine offering was poured from the ''phiale'', the remainder of the contents was drunk by the celebrant. In
Roman art The art of Ancient Rome, and the territories of its Republic and later Empire, includes architecture, painting, sculpture and mosaic work. Luxury objects in metal-work, gem engraving, ivory carvings, and glass are sometimes considered to be min ...
, the libation is shown performed at an altar, ''mensa'' (sacrificial meal table), or
tripod A tripod is a portable three-legged frame or stand, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The three-legged (triangular stance) design provides good stability against gravitational loads ...
. It was the simplest form of sacrifice, and could be a sufficient offering by itself. The introductory rite (''praefatio'') to an animal sacrifice included an incense and wine libation onto a burning altar. Both
emperors An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (empr ...
and divinities are frequently depicted, especially on coins, pouring libations from a ''patera''. Scenes of libation and the ''patera'' itself commonly signify the quality of '' pietas'', religious duty or reverence. File:State Museum of History of Georgia (Tbilisi Archaeological Museum) 6.jpg, Phiale uncovered in eastern
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
, featuring a bust of a bearded male,
Georgian National Museum The Georgian National Museum ( ka, საქართველოს ეროვნული მუზეუმი, tr) unifies several leading museums in Georgia. The museum was established within the framework of structural, institutional, and ...
File:Apollo black bird AM Delphi 8140.jpg, Cylix of Apollo, who pours a libation (Attic white-ground '' kylix'', c. 460 BC) File:2547 - Milano - Museo archeologico - Piatto apulo - Foto di Giovanni Dall'Orto - 1 feb 2014.jpg, The goddess Nike riding on a two-horse
chariot A chariot is a type of cart driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, dated to c. 2000&n ...
on an
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
n ''patera'' (tray), 4th century BC File:Etruscan - Priest - Walters 541088.jpg, Etruscan priest with ''phiale'' (2nd century BC) File:RMW - Opfernder Togatus.jpg, Roman priest, '' capite velato'' (2nd–3rd century AD) File:State Museum of History of Georgia (Tbilisi Archaeological Museum) 3.jpg, Patera featuring
Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Latin: áːɾkus̠ auɾέːli.us̠ antɔ́ːni.us̠ English: ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known as the Five Good E ...
uncovered in
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
, 2nd century AD File:Phiale Louvre L210.jpg, Octopus and dolphin motifs on a ceramic ''phiale'' (510–500 BC, from
Eretria Eretria (; el, Ερέτρια, , grc, Ἐρέτρια, , literally 'city of the rowers') is a town in Euboea, Greece, facing the coast of Attica across the narrow South Euboean Gulf. It was an important Greek polis in the 6th and 5th centur ...
,
Euboea Evia (, ; el, Εύβοια ; grc, Εὔβοια ) or Euboia (, ) is the second-largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete. It is separated from Boeotia in mainland Greece by the narrow Euripus Strait (only at its narrowest poi ...
) File:Met, greek, gold phiale, 4-3rd cventury BC 01.JPG, Golden ''phiale'' (4th–3rd century BC) File:Pátera ibera de Perotito (M.A.N. 1917-39-1) 01.jpg, Silver ''patera'' from
Hispania Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hi ...
( Roman Spain), 2nd–1st century BC) File:Ancient syro-romanian silver Patera.jpg, Silver ''patera'' from Syria decorated with gods and legendary figures from the founding of Rome, 2nd century AD, in the British Museum File:Phiale69.1.jpg, Silver ''phiale'' with
Amazonomachy In Greek mythology, Amazonomachy ( English translation: "Amazon battle"; plural, Amazonomachiai ( grc, Ἀμαζονομαχίαι) or Amazonomachies) was one of various mythical battles between the ancient Greeks and the Amazons, a nation of ...
, ca. 430-420 BC, part of the
Vassil Bojkov collection Vassil is masculine given name and a surname. It may refer to: * Anton Vassil, French film director *Vassil Evtimov (born 1977), French-Bulgarian basketball player *Vassil Kazandjiev Vassil Kazandjiev or Vasil Ivanov Kazandzhiev ( bg, Васил ...
,
Sofia Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and h ...
,
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...


Architecture

In
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...
, oval features on plaster
frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...
s on buildings may be called ''paterae'' (plural).


See also

*''
Parabiago patera The Parabiago plate, also known as the Parabiago patera, is an ancient Roman circular silver plate depicting mythological figures. It was found in an ancient Roman cemetery at Parabiago, near Milan, in 1907. The plate depicts Cybele with her co ...
'', which is actually a platter or plate


References


{{Greek Vases Ancient Roman religion Ancient Greek pot shapes Libation Ancient Greek metalwork