Eschera vs. Ashera? Cult "furniture" for Greeks & Hebrew?
From: George
Message: 26623
Date: 2003-10-24
List members,
I've recently stumbled across this word in the
Perseus.org lexicons:
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Eschara , Ion. eschar-arê [a^], hê, Ep. gen. and dat. escharophin
(ap' esch- Od.7.169, ep' esch- 5.59 , 19.389):
1. Hearth, fire-place, like Hestia, Hom. (esp. in Od.), hê men ep'
escharêi hêsto Od.6.52 ;
hêstai ep' escharêi en puros augêi ib.305 ;
of suppliants, hezet' ep' escharêi en koniêisi 7.153 .
2. pan of coals, brazier, Ar.Ach.888, V.938, cf. Poll.10.94, 95.
3. Trôôn puros escharai watch-fires of the camp, Il.10.418.
II. Sacrificial Hearth (hollowed out in the ground and so dist. from
bômos, structural altar, St.Byz. s.v. bômoi, Phot.; used esp. in
heroworship, Neanth.7J.), Od.14.420, S.Ant.1016 : but freq. used
generally, altar of burnt-offering, pros escharan Phoibou
A.Pers.205 ; ep' escharai puros Id.Eu.108 ; hêmenas ep' escharais
ib.806 ; Puthikê E.Andr. 1240 ; at Eleusis, D.59.116, cf.
Lycurg.Fr.37 ; Hêrakleidôn e. IG2.1658 (iv B.C.) ; so bômioi escharai
structured altars, E.Ph.274 ; sometimes movable, X.Cyr.8.3.12,
Callix.2, PCair.Zen.13 (iii B.C.).
III. Fire-Stick (bored with the trupanon, q. v.), Thphr.HP5.9.7, Ign.
64.
IV. Platform, Stand, Basis, Ph.Bel.92.13, Ath.Mech.32.10,
Vitr.10.11.9.
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I am struck by the employment of this term
in comparison to how the term "Ashera" is employed
in the bible.
Naturally, one has to decide on one of the following
scenarios:
1) coincidence;
2) Greek use followed Hebrew use;
3) Hebrew use followed Greek use.
What can we conclude about the roots of the Greek
Eschera? Does it have a long history? Or does it
appear, "deus ex machina", out of nowhere, somewhere
after Greek contact with Hebrew culture? I myself
tend to see the Hebrew use of the term as a recent
innovation... perhaps to "de-mystify" a Palestinian
interest in the goddess Asherat (in other words,
turn the goddess into a piece of Greek furniture!).
But I'm just guessing at this point.
Information about the roots of the Greek term
would obviously be very important in order to
reduce the "guess-work".
Looking forward to thoughts on this.
George