Apotropaei

By Crusader1307

A ‘’religious’’ concept practiced in Ancient Greece, as well as the classification of any God or Goddess who was invoked to do such – ‘’Apotropaei’’ was the Belief that specific Deities could stop or avert any pending calamity or disaster. Although the ‘’list’’ was long – the Deities Zeus, Apollo and Hera were among the chief Apotropaei. The practice involved the placing of a statue (icon) in locations which were seen as vulnerable. Priests would perform elaborate rituals and ceremonies to so ‘’activate’’ the power of a God. Floods, plagues and especially crop blights, were all example of Apotropaei usage.