Re: Eschera vs. Ashera? Cult "furniture" for Greeks & Hebrew?

Daniel,

It's certainly refreshing to read your explanation
for "Ashera" being connected to something "upright" (Asher)
rather than connecting it to the goddess "Asherat".
Between the two explanations, I would certainly favor
your approach.

However, one still has to grapple with the Greek use
of the term "eschara".

You write:
"A hearth (especially one hollowed out in the ground) seems a

> long way from an upright pillar."

There does appear to be MORE meanings than merely
a "hollow in the ground". Not only are there other
meanings in the Perseus.org sources, but recent research
is also uncovering some interesting finds:

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/bmcr/2002/2002-05-25.html

"In her thorough examination of altars on Attic
vases, Gunnel Ekroth offers a convincing new interpretation
of the eschara, namely that it constitutes the upper part
or fire tray on top of an altar or bomos, rather than a
different type of altar (low and mound-like in the
vase-paintings). Her numerous drawings offer a virtual
compendium of altar types in Attic vase-painting. "

Gunnel Ekroth, The Sacrificial Rituals of Greek Hero-Cults in the
Archaic to the early Hellenistic periods. Kernos Supple/ment, 12.
Lie\ge: Centre International d'E/tude de la Religion Grecque Antique,
2002. Pp. 429. ISBN (ISSN) 0776-3824. EUR 50.00.

Book review here:

http://omega.cohums.ohio-state.edu
/mailing_lists/BMCR-L/2003/0200.php

A lot of this comes down to whether you think the
Old Testament is genuinely old, or had a compositional
context of the Persian and Hellenistic periods of
Palestine.

George


--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel J. Milton" <dmilt1896@...>
wrote:

>
> I find at http://www.therain.org/appendixes/app42.html
> "The word 'Asherah is from the root 'ashar, to be straight,
> erect, or upright. From this comes the meaning, in a moral sense,

to

> be upright, hence, to prosper or be happy. The 'Asherah was so
> called because it was something set upright or erect in the ground,
> and worshipped. The word occurs forty times, and only a careful
> study of each passage will give a correct view.
> From a conspectus of the passages, we learn that it was either a
> living tree with the top cut off, and the stump or trunk fashioned
> into a certain shape (Deuteronomy 16:21); or it was artificially
> fashioned and set erect in the ground (Isaiah 17:8. 1 Kings 14:15;
> 16:33). It was made of wood (Judges 6:26) or stone. What the shape
> was is indicated in 1 Kings 15:13, and 2 Chronicles 15:16, where in
> the Authorized Version. "an idol in a grove", should be (as in the
> Revised Version) "an abominable image for an 'Asherah". It could
> be "cut down" (Exodus 34:13, the first occurrence of the
> word); "plucked up" (Micah 5:14); "burnt" (Deuteronomy 12:3);
> or "broken in pieces" (2 Chronicles 34:4)".
>
> A hearth (especially one hollowed out in the ground) seems a
> long way from an upright pillar. My vote is for pure coincidence.
>
> Also, for 'eschara' Buck's "Synonyms" has "etym. Dub."
>
> Dan
> ************
>
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "merbakos" <gigolojoe0@...> wrote:
> > Sorry, for some reason I thought that word began with an aspirant!
> >
> >
> > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "George" <historynow2002@...>
> > wrote:
> > > List members,
> > >
> > > I've recently stumbled across this word in the
> > > Perseus.org lexicons:
> > >
> > > @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
> > > 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.
> > > @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
> > >
> > > 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