The cult of Dionysos at Claros

Dionysus was worshipped beside Apollo at Claros, where a sanctuary and prophecy center was dedicated to Apollo Clarios. Epigraphical and archaeological evidence indicate that his cult was especially strong in the Hellenistic Period. It is known from the epigraphical evidence that Dionysia and Katagogia were being celebrated. It is also known from the ancient sources that the Aiora – a ritual that was being practiced on the Khytroi day of Anthesteria – was being celebrated by the Colophonians. A secure context related to Anthesteria – from the end of the fourth/beginning of the third century B.C. – comes from the B.O.A. sector at Claros. Seated boy and kourotrophos figurines were found in this context together with numerous miniature khoes. All these finds had the common meaning of caring and raising children. A sundial that was found in situ on the northwest of the Hellenistic Apollo altar is the latest offering to Dionysus and indicates that the northern part of the altar was dedicated to him. The sundial shows that Dionysus was identified with sun like Apollo. Earlier finds associated with Dionysus iconographically, such as Protogeometric phallus images shed light on the early history of Dionysus and indicate that common cult of Apollo and Dionysus goes to earlier than it was considered at Claros. The identified functions of Dionysus at Claros are related to raising children, health, theater and sun. Colophonians believed that Dionysus was a god whom disappeared and then returned (chtonien?), as the celebration of Katagogia shows. Dionysus was probably associated with prophecy at Claros.