This study has two main purposes. The first is to review and re-analyse all the available literary and material evidence that relates to Brauron and to the Brauronia festival, which was introduced into Athens by the tyrant Peisistratos during the sixth century B.C. Comparable myth-riwal complexes concerning girls' maturation rites in other parts of Greece will also be examined to see if, by inference, they can add to the information we already have for the Brauronia. One of the festival's rites was the apKTE(a, when girls aged around ten years old 'mimicked bears' for Artemis, and one of its aetiological myths was a 'rescued' variant of the 'sacrifice' of Iphigeneia in which she was replaced by a bear at Brauron. The dominant tradition was that she was 'sacrificed' at Aulis, but replaced by a hind; however, in other variants the substitute was a bull, a she-goat, or an eiSc..lAOV, and there were other locations in Greece, such as Megara, which claimed to be the site of Iphigeneia's 'death'. This implies that there is some functional equivalence among all such myths of maiden 'sacrifice' and theriomorphosis. To this end, I also examine the suggestion that Thessalian girls performed the *ve(3(p)ela as a fawn equivalent of the Attic apKTEia. The second purpose is to examine the available evidence for temples and shrines belonging to Artemis in the city of Athens, and her cult-tides and festivals, to see whether one or more of these might have been modified, or superseded, by the Brauronia in the sixth century.

Text has abstracts in English and isiNdebele languages / This study focused on the naming and praises of amasokana (initiates) among the South African amaNdebele during and after the initiation process. An explanation is offered as to why amasokana of amaNdebele use Sepedi names instead of isiNdebele names during their transition from boyhood to manhood. Using critical language awareness, this study examined names and praises based on the cultural and traditional poetic forms recited by the amasokana during their homecoming ceremonies when they are introduced to their community by their post-initiation names. This is a case study that made use of interviews and observations as instruments to acquire data about the naming practices and praises of the amasokana of the amaNdebele. The research aims to make a meaningful contribution to the recording and preservation of the indigenous names of amasokana and their praises for posterity and to sustain cultural identity and the quintessential elements of humanity. / Irhubhululo leli linqophe ekuthiyweni kwamabizo kanye neembongweni zamasokana wamaNdebele eSewula Afrika ngesikhathi nangemva kwengoma. Isendlalelo siqale khulu ekutheni kubayini amasokana wamaNdebele asebenzisa amabizo weSepedi esikhundleni samabizo wesiNdebele ngesikhathi lokha nakasuka ebusaneni aya ebudodeni. Kilelirhubhululo, kuhlolwe amabizo kanye neembongo ngokuqalisa eendleleni ezibukondlo zangokwesiko kanye nomkhuba wokubonga kwamasokana nakagodukako lokha nakazazisa ngamabizo wabo wobusokana. Ngalokho- ke amabizo wendabuko wamasokana kanye neembongo kufanele kurekhodwe, kubulungwe ukuze kubulungwe ubunjalo besiko kanye neengcenye eziqakathekileko zobuntu. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)