Women festivals in Ancient Greece

ABSTRACT M.Sc.Thesis WOMEN FESTIVALS IN ANCIENT GREECE Sinem DEMİR Kastamonu University Institute For Social Sciences Department of History Supervisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Sibel KUNDAKÇI Co-Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali KAYA People who lived in Antiquity, blessed the women because of their innately fertility features. Women image perceived as a symbol of abundance and fertility easily could be observed in cults of ancient societies or at least in early beliefs of Anatolian civilizations. Although exaltation of women in both sacred and also profane area decreased in historical process its effects wasn't completely disappeared. This sense existed and affected different civilizations with various ways. In Ancient Greece, housing eastern and especially Anatolian cultures in many aspects its respective society, though not with earlier value, women were continued to be respected because of religious traditions. This respect provided to women a relative freedom in religious area. So women in Ancient Greek social life, thanks to their religious roles they could go out from their home; in fact women could go out their settlement, and at the same time they organized women-only festivals which are mostly related to agricultural fertility rituals. Key Words : Ancient Greece, Women, Festival 2016, pages 113