The existence of the prehistoric cult buildings is a highly controversial subject in archeology. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the discussion is that it is not certain that these buildings existed. Most of the recent excavations have contributed to an increased interest in central places, cult centers and the discovered material associated with mansion-like settlements. Various exclusive discoveries link relevant interpretations and terms to kings and aristocracy. In some cultural contexts the larger magnate complexes during the Iron Age have had a significant importance. The buildings that are considered to have received a great ritual significance are special houses that have been interpreted as cult houses, but also the hall buildings had a significant role in the context of cult. In the interpretation of the Iron Age cult house, there are a number of aspects that should be taken into consideration, and not merely the material findings at the cult houses. The surrounding nature of the buildings is important, since the cult houses were built on settlements, where powerful chiefs of importance to the community lived and worked. Unlike the bronze ages cult houses, the iron age is more easily interpreted, due to several aspects. On the one hand, iron age cult houses are considerably more resourceful, on the other hand, pre-Christian scriptures have contributed to various aspects of the interpretation of the buildings. These interpretations can be questioned as they are not scientific.

During the three first centuries A.D the cult to roman emperor was practiced over the absolute majority of the known world. It was based on the idea of the deified ruler, where religion was used as a way of legitimizing a social position of an absolute few. It arrived from below but was promoted and spread from above as a way of governmental control. During the same period of time did a new aristocratic social group emerge in remote Scandinavia that eagerly sought new ways to identify themselves and their newly found social standing. With a base consisting of an economic surplus they wanted to create an acceptance for their new way of life and thus in doing so change the very foundation and core beliefs of their own society.The central theme of this study is the cultural exchange that took place between these two cultural spheres and mainly of the effect that the cult to the roman emperor had on the emergence and identification process of the Scandinavian aristocracy.

Zugl.: Halle (Saale), Univ., Diss., 2005 u.d.T.: Tóth, Franz: Kult als Wirklichkeitskonstruktion

Zugl.: Giessen, Univ., Diss., 2004

Zugl.: Basel, Univ., Diss., 2001

The aim of this work is to reconstruct and interpret the real space of the symbolic space of the Czech country, and within it to monitor the conditions of a development the Holy Journey (Via Sancta) from the Prague Cathedral in to Stara Boleslav in the background of the cult of St. Wenceslas with the help of contemporary visual sources (architecture, sculptures and paintings), including sub-urban scene. The development of symbolic spatial linkages between the Prague Cathedral and Stara Boleslav we observe in the broader context of the Christian world since the beginning of the Czech statehood (10th century) until the process has been visually completed (1670-80) through a series of chapels (Via Sancta) between Prague and Stara Boleslav.

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Die Arbeit untersucht den Bezug der Artemis zu Frauen. Neben den meist in der Forschungsliteratur erörterten Aspekten der Artemis als Geburtsgöttin und Beschützerin der Kindheit und der Jugend leistet Artemis bei entscheidenden biologischen Ereignissen im Leben von Frauen Beistand, die den gynäkologischen Aspekt vor Augen stellen. Es handelt sich dabei um die Menarche, die eheliche Vereinigung, die Entbindung und das Wochenbett. Zu diesem Zweck wurden im ersten Teil der Arbeit einschlägige Funktionsepiklesen zusammengestellt, die Zeugnis von diesem Wirkungskreis der Artemis ablegen. Mit Bezug auf die aus dem ersten Teil gewonnenen Ergebnisse untersucht der zweite Teil der Arbeit diese Hilfe der Artemis anhand von Kulten auf der Südwestpeloponnes. / This work examines the relationship of Artemis to Women. Along with the most discussed aspects of Artemis in the research bibliography as a goddess of childbirth and protectress of childhood and youth Artemis provide assistance in important biological events of women’s lives, i.e. menarche, marital intercourse, delivery and puerperium, which reveal the gynaecological aspect of the goddess. For this purpose, in the first part of this work functional epicleses are collected, which provide evidence for these spheres of influence of Artemis. With regard to the results of the first part of the work, the second part examines Artemis’ assistance on the basis of cults in Southwest Peloponnes.

The reign of Amenhotep III represents one of the most crucial period of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Over the course of this dynasty, royal ideology, as a major means of power of the Egyptian ruler, was constantly being developed and underwent significant alterations. One long lasting debate has focused on the possibility that Amenhotep III was already deified during his lifetime, but up to now no detailed study that would analyse contemporary documents, whether connected to the king himself or related to his officials, has taken place. The aim of this thesis was to find and answer to this question by means of an analysis of written and iconographic sources from both the royal sphere as well as the domain of the officials. The result of this research, based among others on an in-depth study of the names, epithets and iconography of the ruler, indicates that Amenhotep III was already deified during his life and it allows even the definition of his divine characteristics and aspects as a solar god. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

It is a well known archaeological concern that the remains of human bones left from the bronze age and early iron age Scandinavia are not nearly enough to represent the estimated population of the time. Furthermore the bones of each find rarely represent a whole individual. The majority of the bones must have been disposed of somewhere else, possibly scattered in running waters or in the fields, where they have evaporated or are securely hidden from archaeological excavations. This thesis deals with the grave concept and the problem in using a word that is so very clouded by its modern, western meaning. It also offers an alternative explanation to why the bones are handled the way they are and why they are found in such awkward contexts.