A01=Damien Stone
Ancient History
Ancient Religion
Author_Damien Stone
Category=JBSR
Category=NHC
Category=NHD
Category=NHDA
Category=QRM
Category=QRMB8
Category=QRYM
Eleusinian Mysteries
eq_bestseller
eq_history
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
Greek Archaeology
Mithraism
Roman Archaeology
Product details
- ISBN 9781836391098
- Dimensions: 138 x 216mm
- Publication Date: 15 Sep 2025
- Publisher: Reaktion Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
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The Secret Sacred explores the hidden religious practices of the classical world. These cults, shrouded in secrecy, promised initiates a transformative afterlife. While many rituals remain mysterious, artworks and historical texts provide glimpses of their underlying beliefs.
The book examines Greco-Roman religious traditions and their divergence into mystery cults, including Bacchic ceremonies depicted in frescoes, Orphic gold tablets guiding souls in the underworld and the Eleusinian Mysteries celebrating Demeter and Persephone’s cycle of rebirth. Eastern deities like Mithras, Isis and Cybele also feature in the cults discussed. The possible influence of mystery religions on early Christianity is also explored, drawing parallels with modern-day beliefs. Featuring the most recent archaeological discoveries and stunning museum artefacts, this is a lively account of the concealed faiths of the ancient world.
Damien Stone is an archaeologist who lives in Sydney, Australia. His books include The Hittites: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion Books, 2023).
