Chthonic

This article is about the Greek deities. For the band, see Chthonic (band). For Cthulhu mythos creatures, see Chthonian (Cthulhu mythos). For other uses, see Chthon (disambiguation).

The Remorse of Orestes, where he is surrounded by the Erinyes, who were identified as chthonic beings, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1862

Chthonic (UK: /ˈkθɒnɪk/, US: /ˈθɒnɪk/ from Greek χθόνιος khthonios [kʰtʰónios], "in, under, or beneath the earth", from χθών khthōn "earth") literally means "subterranean". The translation of meaning discusses deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in Greek religion. The Greek word khthon is one of several for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather than the living surface of the land (as Gaia or Ge does), or the land as territory (as khora (χώρα) does).

Chthonic Cults

Triptolemus standing between Demeter and Kore, relief from the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

Chthonic, which is a form of khthonie and khthonios, has a precise technical meaning in Greek, referring primarily to the manner and method of offering sacrifices to specific deity or deities, generally referred to as chthonic or chthonian deities. These include, but are perhaps not strictly limited to, Demeter and Hades in classical mythology.

Nocturnal ritual sacrifice was a common practice in many chthonic cults. When the sacrifice was a living creature, the animal was placed in a bothros (βόθρος, "pit") or megaron (μέγαρον, "sunken chamber"). In some Greek chthonic cults, the animal was sacrificed on a raised bomos (βωμός, "altar"). Offerings were usually burned whole or buried rather than being cooked and shared among the worshippers.

In his book The Mycenaean World, John Chadwick argues that many chthonic deities may be remnants of the native Pre-Hellenic religion and that many of the Olympian deities may come from the Proto-Greeks who overran the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula in the late third millennium B.C. He does, however, note that this may be somewhat of an overgeneralization and that the origins of chthonic and Olympian deities are probably much more complex.

Distinction from Olympian cults

Cult type versus function

The myths associating the underworld chthonic deities and fertility were not exclusive. Myths about the later Olympian deities also described an association with the fertility and the prosperity of Earth. Thus Demeter and Persephone both watched over aspects of the fertility of land, yet Demeter had a typically Olympian cult while Persephone had a chthonic one.

Also, Demeter was worshiped alongside Persephone with identical rites, and yet occasionally was classified as an "Olympian" in late poetry and myth. The absorption of some earlier cults into the newer pantheon versus those that resisted being absorbed is suggested as providing the later myths.

Ambiguities in assignment

The categories Olympian and chthonic were not, however, completely separate. Some Olympian deities, such as Hermes and Zeus, also received chthonic sacrifices and tithes in certain locations. The deified heroes Heracles and Asclepius might be worshipped as gods or chthonic heroes, depending on the site and the time of origin of the myth.

Moreover, a few deities are not easily classifiable under these terms. Hecate, for instance, was typically offered puppies at crossroads—a practice neither typical of an Olympian sacrifice nor of a chthonic sacrifice to Persephone or the heroes. Because of her underworld roles, Hecate is generally classed as chthonic.

References in psychology and anthropology

In analytical psychology, the term chthonic was often used to describe the spirit of nature within; the unconscious earthly impulses of the Self, that is one's material depths, however not necessarily with negative connotations, see also anima and animus or shadow.

As well, the chthonic has connotations with regard to gender, in cultural anthropology; del Valle's Gendered Anthropology describes there being "male and female deities at every level... men associated with the above, the sky, and women associated with the below, with the earth, water of the underground, and the chthonic deities." This was by no means universal; in Ancient Egypt the main deity of the earth was the male god Geb, his female consort was Nut, otherwise known as the sky. Greek mythology likewise has female deities associated with the sky, such as Dike, goddess of justice who sits on the right side of Zeus as his advisor, and Eos, goddess of dawn —and Hades (a male) as god of the underworld.

References in structural geology

The term allochthon in structural geology is used to describe a large block of rock which has been moved from its original site of formation, usually by low angle thrust faulting. From the Greek "allo" meaning other and "chthon" designating the process of the land mass being moved under the earth and connecting two horizontally stacked décollements and thus "under the earth".

See also

• Chthonic law
• Earth mother
• Geomancy
• Life-death-rebirth deities
• Sky father

References

Bibliography

• Chadwick, John (1976). The Mycenaean World. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-521-29037-1.
• Dillon, Matthew (2002). Girls and Women in Classical Greek Religion. London: Routledge. ISBN 0415202728. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

• The dictionary definition of chthonic at Wiktionary